The Dead Will Rise
by bttrflynreverse
Summary: Sequel to The Long Way Home. Picks up 5 years after the end of that story. Dean & Sam are still hunting with Bobby. Liz is abroad. Something happens to change that, & suddenly, the end of the world is nigh. Dean/OFC, Sam/OFC not Liz
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** This is the sequel to "The Long Way Home." You might find it helpful to have read that one before you start this one. :)

**Prologue**

_From the prophecy scrolls of the tribe of Bathsheba, Traditional Translation_:

And there will come a time when the chosen one will rise.  
He will be born of the one who births demons.  
He will be sired by a son of fire.  
He will come with a double-edged sword.  
Only time will tell with which side he will strike.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_April 2013_

"I had the strangest dream last night," Dean told Jo as they lay curled up in bed together. "I was drinking with all these guys who were speaking some language I don't know, but somehow I knew what they were saying. I didn't like them very much, but they were buying so I didn't complain. It was weird."

"Fascinating," Jo replied dryly. "I had a dream that purple giants were attacking a village made of candy cane, and you were trying to save the village by eating it. You kept shouting that you contained worlds."

Dean did a double take. "Really?"

Jo rolled her eyes. "No, but you have to admit it would have been weirder than your dream if I had."

Dean shrugged. "What are you still doing here?"

"Nice to know I'm wanted," Jo replied with mock-hurt. "I told you last night that Jeremy had a business trip."

Dean snorted. "Like I was listening to anything you were _saying_ last night."

She sighed. "Jeremy won't be home until Thursday, so I told him that I was coming to visit my mother. I thought I could stay here."

"I don't think Ellen'll like being used as your cover."

"Like Jeremy is going to call my mother to check up on me," Jo answered defensively.

Dean shrugged. "He's not my husband. Do what you want. And, yeah, you can stay here."

He rolled out of bed, naked, and headed for the bathroom. "I'm late for a meeting with Bobby and Sam," he called over his shoulder. "There's food in the fridge if you want something to eat."

"Besides you?" she called after him seductively.

He stopped at her words. "I'm late, Jo," he reminded her.

She grinned. "Since when has that stopped you?"

Dean leered at her. "You are a very bad girl, Josephine," he said, stalking back towards her. She laughed throatily and rose to meet him as he got to the bed.

XXX

"Where the hell is Dean?" Sam asked irritably, checking his watch for the umpteenth time since he had arrived at Bobby's.

Bobby raised an eyebrow at Sam. "I think we both know where Dean is," he replied dispassionately.

Sam nodded his understanding. "Nothing about that is going to end well."

"When has that ever stopped Dean?"

"True," Sam agreed and started pacing impatiently. "Do you want me to call him again?"

Bobby shook his head. "I don't really see the point. It's not like Dean would actually be listening to what I had to say. I can just give the information to you."

Sam stopped pacing. "I guess that's true. What's the job?"

Bobby handed Sam a thin folder. "It's nothing special," he explained, "just a poltergeist in Detroit. I would send someone else, but I am a little shorthanded since Steven died. Plus, you and Dean are the most experienced hunters I've got, and I can't afford to lose anyone else right now."

Sam was taken aback. "I didn't know that Steven had died. When did that happen?"

Bobby suddenly looked years older. "A couple of weeks ago. Some vampires in eastern Oregon got him. He didn't have any family, so there is no one to notify. We had a memorial, but there was no body to bury."

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "They turned him?" he asked, his shock coming through in his voice.

Bobby shrugged but was obviously affected by the boy's death. "Yeah. It's been happening more and more recently. Seems like evil's recruiting."

"Do you think something big is on the horizon?" Sam asked curiously.

Bobby shrugged again. "Looks that way. I guess we should just be grateful we've had so many quiet years recently and start preparing for whatever gets thrown at us this time."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "It's not like we haven't faced the end of the world before."

"We can face it again," Bobby agreed solemnly. "Anyway the packet I gave you has maps and all the info I could find on the ghost. You can meet up with one of my hunters in Detroit. She lives near the haunted house and has been staking the place out. Her name's Sandy. She said you could stay with her if you want."

"Sounds good," Sam said. "I guess I'll go get Dean and get on the road. Hopefully, we can leave within the next couple of hours. I'll call you and let you know when the problem's taken care of."

"Be safe, Sam," Bobby requested worriedly. "The things that go bump in the night have been winning too many recently."

Sam shrugged him off. "Dean and I are always careful, Bobby. There's no need to worry."

XXX

"Hey, Jo," Sam greeted awkwardly when Jo opened the door to Dean's apartment dressed in only a robe.

"Hey, Sam," she replied without a trace of embarrassment. She moved out of the way to let him into the room. "Dean's in the shower."

"Oh."

"You can come in if you want."

Sam followed her into the living room area, and they sat on opposite ends of Dean's ragged couch in uncomfortable silence.

"So how are you?" Sam asked politely when he could not take the silence anymore.

"Good," Jo replied.

There was another beat of silence. "How's Jeremy?"

"Away on business," Jo responded tersely, obviously not happy with the direction the conversation had taken.

"I figured," Sam answered a little acidly.

"Sam," Jo began tiredly, "I know that you don't like..."

"Hey," Dean interrupted from behind them, "I thought I heard someone come in." He had obviously just gotten out of the shower, as he was dripping wet and had a towel wrapped around his waist.

Sam nodded in greeting. "Bobby's got a job for us in Detroit. I figured that if we left in an hour, we could get there at a decent hour. We're supposed to meet up with one of his hunters there. Her name's Sandy, and we can stay with her."

Dean perked up. "Sandy, huh? Is she hot?"

Jo cleared her throat. "Not as hot as me, I'm sure," she said, jealousy evident in her voice.

Dean blinked at her for several moments. "I'm sure you're right," he responded half-heartedly and turned to Sam. "Why don't I meet you at Bobby's? Let me pack and get ready, and I'll come pick you up. Give me thirty minutes."

"Fine. _Thirty_ minutes," Sam emphasized as he got up to leave. He showed himself out, closing the door softly as he left.

Jo watched him leave and turned to Dean. "Do you have to go?" she asked.

Dean looked at her like she had grown another head. "Hunting's what I do. You know that."

She sighed in response. "I know, and I know you need it. It's just...don't you think Sam can handle this one on his own? There will always be another ghost to hunt; it's not everyday that Jeremy has a business trip. I wanted to enjoy getting to see you."

Dean rolled his eyes and headed to his bedroom. Jo stomped after him and stood in his doorway tapping her foot.

"Well?" she prompted.

Dean sighed before answering. "Jo," he said finally, "you and I both know that you don't need a business trip as an excuse to find your way into my bed. This is what I do. It's what I'm good at. I'm not going to not do it because Jeremy went out of town and you want to play make believe for a couple days."

Tears came into Jo's eyes, but she blinked them back fiercely. "I took a week off from work, Dean. What am I supposed to do now that you are running off to have your adventures?"

Dean shrugged. "You could visit your mother. I'm sure she'd like that."

If looks could kill, Jo's responding glare would have slayed Dean. "That's not funny," she answered angrily.

Dean sighed in exasperation. "Then I guess it's a good thing I wasn't joking," he snapped at her. "You're mom—"

Jo cut him off before he could get started on the subject. "If I want another lecture from you, I'll let you know, Dean. Otherwise, shut it."

"Then I don't know, Jo," Dean said in frustration. He threw some clothes into a duffel bag. "You're a big girl; you'll figure something out. You knew when you started this what I was. I'm too old to change now, and even if I wasn't, I don't _want _to change."

"You would have changed for her," Jo said accusatorily.

Dean stiffened. "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

Jo laughed humorlessly. "Why, Dean? I did say it. Deal with it. Liz is dead, Dean. _Forever_. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. Make room in your life for someone else."

"Get out," Dean replied, barely controlled emotion straining his voice.

Jo looked contrite. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

Dean clenched his teeth. "Get out, Jo! Right now."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Fine. I'll see you at Bobby's."

XXX

"Dean, it's been an hour. Where the hell are you?" Sam said, leaving a message on Dean's voicemail.

"He still not answering?" Bobby asked, a trace of alarm in his voice.

"No. I'm gonna go check his apartment and see what the hold up is."

Sam headed out for Dean's. The drive there seemed to take longer than usual. After he parked, he jogged to Dean's door and banged on it.

"Dean? Are you in there? Dean?"

Dean opened the door after several minutes. "What?" he asked angrily, gripping the door for support.

"You were supposed to meet me thirty minutes ago," Sam replied. He looked down and saw the bottle in Dean's hand. "Are you drunk?" he asked in disbelief.

Dean shrugged uncaringly. "Not yet, but I'm working on it."

"Give me the bottle, Dean," Sam commanded angrily and reached out and took it from him. "What is your deal? Did you get in a fight with Jo?"

Dean sat down on the couch and laughed drunkenly. "She said some crappy things that were 100% true, so I told her to get out. That's not why I'm upset, though. I can't find my amulet."

Sam sat down beside him. "The one that Liz gave you?"

"Yeah. I quit wearing it a couple months ago when I was trying to convince myself that I was ready to forget her. I usually end up taking it out once or twice a week. And I _always_ take it on hunts. I know it's stupid, but I feel like a piece of Liz is there with me when I wear it. And now I can't find it. It's not in the box I keep it in. It's not anywhere in my apartment. I need it, or I'll be off while I'm hunting."

Sam sighed, his irritation drying up. "You don't need a necklace to help you hunt, Dean. You hunted for years before you had this necklace, and you can hunt now without it. It's not stupid to be upset, though, and when we get back, I'll help you find it. I'll get down on my hands and knees and scour the place inch-by-inch if I need to. Right now, we need to hit the road, though."

Dean did not trust himself to answer at first. He nodded and swallowed against his suddenly raw throat. "Thanks," he answered finally. "I guess you're right."

Sam started to stand up, but Dean grabbed his arm to stop him. "Do me a favor, though. Just let Jo think that I was upset about her. She gets weird about anything to do with Liz."

"Sure," Sam said. His phone rang then. He looked at the caller-id and answered it.

"Lauren, I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you back?" Sam listened to her answer and sighed. "Well, I'm sorry. I've got to go. Love you," he told her and hung up.

"Trouble in paradise?" Dean asked, a cocky smile replacing all trace of his earlier emotion.

"Shut up," Sam replied.

"I'm just saying…"

"Well, don't. Everything's fine."

"If you say so."

"I do. Get your stuff and let's go."

XXX

"Sorry that I'm late, everyone," Dean said cheerily as he walked into Bobby's with Sam. He grabbed a package of Oreos out of the cabinet and plopped into a seat at the table beside Ellen. "So, what's the situation, Bobby?" Dean asked between bites. "Something about a ghost?"

Bobby stared at him angrily. "You're an hour and a half late. We were worried."

"My alarm wasn't working," Dean replied unrepentantly.

Sam sat down beside Bobby. "It just took Dean a little longer to pack than he anticipated," he explained.

"Drinking a fifth of tequila will do that," Bobby commented coldly.

"Actually, it was whiskey," Dean chimed in. "You know, it's funny that you mention drinking. I had a weird dream that I was in a bar and I couldn't understand anything that was being said. Only I could. It was weird. The drunker I became, the more sense everyone made. It all felt very real, as if it had happened to me before. Or was happening to me then. Oh, and I think I was a chick."

"You had this dream last night?" Bobby asked, suddenly curious.

"Yeah. What does it matter?"

"It doesn't. I was just curious. If you'll excuse me, I have some stuff I need to take care of." Bobby got up and walked away from the table without waiting for a response.

Everyone watched him go with confused stares. "That was weird," Dean commented.

"No weirder than you," Jo rebutted from the doorway. She had showered and changed into jeans and a T-shirt. She came into the room and sat across from Dean.

"Did anyone ever tell you how hilarious you are? They were lying if they did."

Jo stuck her tongue out at Dean, causing Sam to smile at the lightened mood.

"We can head out whenever you're ready," Sam informed Dean.

Dean stood up. "I'm ready now."

"Okay. I need to grab something first, but I'll meet you at the car in a couple of minutes."

"Sounds good," Dean replied, heading for the door. Jo tried to kiss him goodbye, but he caught her arms before she could wrap them around him and avoided her kiss. He threw a cautious look at Ellen, who was glaring daggers at him. "I'll see you in a few days," he told Jo, gently pushing her away. "Have a good vacation."

Jo rolled her eyes and sat back down with a displeased huff. Dean left the room quickly before Ellen decided to retaliate.

Sam made sure Dean was out of earshot before turning to Ellen. "Could you give me a minute with Jo?" he asked.

She nodded and got up from the table. "Maybe you can talk some sense into her," she said, shooting a disapproving look at Jo as she walked past her.

"Don't even try," Jo replied as her mother left.

"Don't worry," Sam replied. "I don't care that you're sleeping with Dean. I don't particularly like it, but it's none of my business. Did you take his necklace?"

"What necklace?"

"Jo, don't play dumb. You know what necklace. If you took it, I expect it to be back in its place by the time we get back. I don't care what reason you had for taking it."

"I didn't take it," Jo insisted.

Sam sighed. "Then do me a favor and find it for Dean while he's gone. A dead woman's gift is not keeping Dean from committing to you," he told her, his tone biting.

She stared at him angrily. "Okay. I'll look for it while you guys are gone. Happy?"

"Yes," Sam replied. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Jeremy called earlier. I told him that you had gone to the store and forgot your phone. You might want to call him and verify my story."

Jo got a scared look on her face and hurried out of the room to do just that.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Detroit, Michigan_

"Where is this chick we're supposed to meet?" Dean asked Sam as they navigated the streets of Detroit.

Sam studied his map. "Her apartment should be a couple of blocks east of here."

"Do you think she'll be hot?" Dean asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Sam gave him a scolding look. "You probably shouldn't sleep with Bobby's hunters."

Dean put on an innocent look. "Who said anything about sleeping with her? I just asked if you think she'll be hot. And, besides, I'm sleeping with his married stepdaughter, and he doesn't say anything about that."

"That doesn't mean he likes it, Dean. Plus, Jo's not his stepdaughter."

Dean scoffed. "She might as well be. Ellen's been shacking up with him for years."

"It's not the same thing, Dean," Sam insisted.

"Whatever, dude. Can we talk about something besides Bobby and Ellen? Thinking about them together grosses me out."

"I'm with you on that one," Sam replied. "So, the ghost we're hunting has killed three people in the last week. The info that Bobby gave us finds mention of it for at least the last hundred years. It's apparently old and powerful and not going to leave without a fight."

"Is this the place?" Dean asked, rolling to a stop in front of a rundown building.

"Um," Sam stalled, looking at the papers in his hand and then the building. "Yeah. You know if you would get a GPS system, we wouldn't have to worry about getting lost."

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam's nagging. "I like getting around old school, Sam. When I want a chick barking orders at me, I'll get married again."

Sam shook his head disapprovingly but smiled despite himself.

XXX

"You must be Sam and Dean," the bubbly woman who answered the door said. "I'm Sandy. Come in. It's good to finally get to work with you. I have heard so much about you over the years. Bobby said if I asked, you would probably tell a few stories."

Sam shared an amused look with Dean over the woman's enthusiasm. "Maybe," he fudged. "We'll see if we get time."

"Oh, of course. Come on. I'll show you to your room," she said motioning for them to follow her.

"I only have one extra bed," she explained while they walked. "Sorry about that. One of you can sleep on the couch if you want. The house with the ghost is only a couple of blocks away. I've been researching, and I think I've come up with the best plan of attack. You can go over it and give me pointers and change it. I welcome your suggestions. I still can't believe that I am working with you two and that you are staying in my apartment. It's exciting. But, anyway, I'll let you get settled. Let me know if you need anything."

Sam waited for her to leave and shut the door behind her. "I've changed my mind, Dean. Sleep with her if you want. She needs an outlet for all that energy."

"I'll pass, but thanks for your permission," Dean answered dryly. He looked around the room. "I'm getting the strongest sense of déjà vu, Sam. I would almost swear I've been here before."

"You've never even been to Detroit, Dean," Sam reminded him.

"I know. It's weird, but I feel like I've seen this before. In a dream, maybe."

Sam shrugged. "Weirder things have happened."

Dean shook it off. "Let's go see what Chatty Cathy has to say," he suggested after one more glance around the room.

He followed Sam out of the room, and they walked back into the living room where Sandy was sitting with her back to them talking on the phone.

"...I know. Tell Lindsey that I owe her fifty bucks." She laughed. "Even hotter, actually. If she slept with him like she said, then I am impressed. I can see what the big deal is." Sandy paused to listen then giggled. "Like steel. I didn't believe her, either." She turned around and saw Sam and Dean. "I gotta go," she said nervously and hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

"Everything okay with the room?" she asked apprehensively.

Sam smiled reassuringly. "It's great. Thanks for letting us stay with you," he replied. He elbowed Dean when he noticed his smirk.

Sandy visibly relaxed. "You're more than welcome. We can go down to the house now and investigate if you want."

Sam shook his head. "You said you had done a bunch of research already. Why don't we look at that first?"

"Okay. It's in my bedroom. I'll go get it."

She got the stuff, and they spent the next few hours going over the information Sandy had acquired. She had done a thorough job of finding information on the place, but the facts still did not add up. They could not figure out why the ghost suddenly turned violent after over a hundred years of being little more than an echo.

"This just doesn't make any sense," Sam complained with an annoyed sigh. "Why would this ghost just start killing people out of the blue? Everything points to it having been in the house for 150 years, but it only recently started killing people."

"Beats me," Dean said in a bored voice. "I don't need to understand its motivation. Let's just get rid of it and get back home."

Sam looked unsatisfied but finally shrugged. "You're right: it doesn't matter why it started killing, just that it has. Let's break until the morning and then we can do reconnaissance at the house."

"Do you think I missed something?" Sandy asked, looking a little crushed.

Sam gave her his most charming smile. "You did a bang-up job and saved us a ton of time and effort."

Sandy beamed. "Really? Thanks so much. I really tried."

"It shows," Sam told her.

Dean rolled his eyes at the touchy-feely conversation. "So, Sandy," he interrupted, "do you know where a guy can get a decent drink in this town?"

"No drinking," Sam insisted, his tone severe.

Dean gave Sam a look like he was accepting Sam's unspoken challenge. "So, Sandy, you haven't shown me your bedroom yet," he said in a silky voice.

Sam glared at Dean. "Fine, drinks it is."

Dean smiled triumphantly and headed for the door without waiting for Sandy and Sam to follow. Sandy watched Dean walk away then looked at Sam uncertainly. "Was he just trying to get me into bed?" she asked.

Sam nodded. "Don't take it personally. He doesn't mean to be a jerk; it just comes naturally to him."

XXX

"You're different than I expected," Sandy told Dean as she watched him prepare to drink his umpteenth drink of the night.

Dean licked the salt off his hand, downed another shot of tequila, then sucked on the lime wedge he was holding. "Oh, yeah? How's that?" he asked disinterestedly. His eyes had started to become glazed.

Sandy shrugged. "I don't know. You're sadder than I would have expected. You seem like you're in mourning."

Dean wiped his mouth then threw some bills on the bar. "I think I'm ready to go," he said.

"Was it something I said?" Sandy wondered. "I'm sorry. I can let you drink in peace if you want."

Dean looked at her for the first time since she had sat down beside him. "Look, Sandy, you're a very nice girl. I'm not a nice boy, though. You should keep your distance from me because I would hate to do something to take away that look of worship you have in your eyes. If you stay around me for too long, it will definitely disappear."

"Sam said you're sad because your wife died. I didn't know you used to be married."

Dean waved down the bartender. "On second thought, I'll have a vodka shot, straight up. Chase that with a nice scotch on the rocks." He turned back to Sandy. "Sandy, sweetheart, you need to decide whether you want a sloppy, forgettable night in the sack with me or to be able to continue your hero worship. I'm about to get smashed, and odds are, I won't spend the night alone."

Sam put a hand on his shoulder. "You're not sleeping with Sandy, Dean. Apologize for suggesting it."

Dean smiled at Sandy. "Do you want me to apologize?" he asked. "Or do you want to get out of here?"

Sandy looked behind Dean at Sam. "Uhh…well…how about we all go home?"

Dean laughed drunkenly. "Sorry, babe, I don't do threesomes with dudes." He grabbed the glass that the bartender put in front of him and drank it in one gulp.

Sandy looked very uncomfortable. "Uhh…" she stuttered out. "That's not what I meant." She looked at Sam. "I just want to go home. Can we go home?"

Sam nodded and pulled Dean to his feet. "Let's go, Dean."

Dean put an arm around Sam and let himself be dragged out of the bar. "I think I'm losing my touch, Sammy," he told him. "I can't even get the groupies to screw me anymore."

Sam rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Let's get you home," he told Dean. He met Sandy's eyes. "Sorry he's being such a dick."

Sandy's eyes were wide with hurt surprise at Dean's comment. "Is he always like this when he drinks?"

"He didn't used to be," Sam explained, shoving Dean none too gently into the Impala.

XXX

Dean groaned as he came awake. His head was pounding, and his mouth felt like he'd slept with cotton in it. He sat up and immediately laid back down as a wave of dizziness and nausea hit him.

"Don't throw up in Sandy's bed," Sam commanded. "I mean it, Dean."

Dean opened his eyes then squinted at the too bright light that was flooding the room. "I can tell from your tone that I did something last night that you disapprove of. What was it, and who do I need to apologize to?"

Sam heaved a great sigh and plopped on the end of the bed. "Sandy. You need to apologize to Sandy. You were really crappy to her last night."

Dean sat up again, pressing the heel of his hand to his forehead to stop his head from spinning. "What I'd do this time?" he wondered. "She's so sweet I'm sure it must have been bad."

"You called her a groupie and basically humiliated her in front of a room full of people. I'd say groveling's on the menu for you this morning."

"We all know how I love to grovel," Dean observed dryly. He put his head in his hands in an attempt to quell the nausea he was feeling. "Is Sandy awake?" he asked when he was able to push it down.

"She is."

"Lucky me," Dean said. He stood up and carefully made his way out into the living room. He started feeling queasy again at the smell of bacon.

Sandy walked into the room and pulled up short when she saw him. Dean had one hand against the wall and was starting to look green. He looked at Sandy and blew out a relieved breath.

"I know I was an ass last night, and I'm really sorry. I hate to ask, but could you help me to the bathroom so I don't puke all over your living room?"

Sandy looked severely put out. "You're really disappointing, Dean," she told him when she'd moved across the room and maneuvered herself under his arm.

"Tell me something I don't know," Dean said.

"I have a friend who talks about how cool you are," Sandy informed him.

"She does, does she? What's your friend's name?" He clapped his hand over his mouth to stop himself from gagging.

"Lindsey. We got her drunk one night, and she admitted that she had slept with you once."

"Sorry, I don't remember any Lindseys," he said. He pushed away from Sandy and hurried to the toilet, making it just in time to empty his stomach into the bowl. He groaned miserably as he sat on the floor and leaned back against the wall. "You can go bang some pots and pans or something if you want to get back at me. Sam told me I was a bastard to you last night."

"You were," she agreed. She bit her lip thoughtfully. "You really don't remember Lindsey?" she wondered.

Dean rubbed his temples and thought about it. "I'm sorry. I'm sure she's a really nice person, but I don't remember her."

Sandy looked crushed. "Oh." She rallied herself. "It's not like you were that important to her, either."

Dean leaned his head back against the wall. "So, have you ever hunted a ghost before?" he wondered.

Sandy ducked her head in embarrassment. "No, not really. I'm usually on the research side of things."

"A bookworm, huh? No wonder you and Sam get along so well."

Sandy shifted nervously. "I'm excited to go with you guys, but…" She trailed off and looked at Dean for reassurance. "Do you think I'll be okay?"

Dean tried to look confident as he replied. "No worries, Sandy. Sam and I've got your back."

Sandy's smile was big and bright as she looked at Dean. "It's gonna be a good day," she predicted.

"A good day. Right."

Sandy laughed, which made Dean smile somewhat. "You know, you're not as mean as you think you are," Sandy told him.

Dean put a finger to his lips. "Shhh," he said. "Wouldn't want word to get out. I've got a reputation to maintain, you know."

XXX

"That wasn't here the last time I was here, promise," Sandy said, staring at the huge pentagram that had been painted on the floor in the entranceway of the haunted building.

"We believe you," Sam assured her. "We'll figure out what's going on, okay? Let's split up and check the other rooms. If anyone finds anything, let everyone else know."

"I'll take upstairs," Dean said, heading toward the staircase without waiting to see what everyone else was doing. He took the stairs slowly and opened the first door he came to. Dust stirred as he walked into the room.

"Hunting is hell on the allergies," he muttered to himself, feeling his sinuses start to close up. He walked around the room, going through the shelves and desk trying to find clues. He didn't find anything in the first room and searched three other rooms before he did. In the last room on the right side of the hall, there was a box sitting on one of the end tables by the bed. It had the logo for Barrister Enterprises on top of it. Dean walked over and opened the box. Nothing was inside.

"Run," a voice commanded from behind him. He whirled and came face-to-face with the ghost they had researched. She was a young teenaged girl who looked to be under a great deal of stress.

"Run," she repeated, voice a little desperate this time. "I'm not going to be able to fight this thing for much longer." Her eyes turned pleading before him.

Dean's face slid into a smirk. "Sweetheart, I don't run from the things that go bump in the night; they run from me," he told the ghost cockily.

The ghost's entire demeanor changed before Dean's eyes. "You should have worn the amulet if you wanted that statement to be true," it told him snidely.

Dean raised his gun, but the ghost disappeared before he could shoot. The next thing he felt was a knife sliding into his back.

The ghost leaned over his shoulder so that it could speak into his ear. "We've been waiting five years for you to be dumb enough to lose that necklace. Your wedding ring is nothing compared with that amulet. Every dog will have its day, I suppose. Bully for me," it said, twisting the knife before touching Dean's head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. The ghost smiled and bent to retrieve the knife. It pulled it out of Dean's back then slid Dean's wedding ring off his hand and tossed it across the room. It made a tinkling noise as it skidded across the hardwood floor. The ghost smiled happily and moved over to the box on the table. When it touched it, the lid closed again, and the ghost was gone.

Blood seeped from Dean, making an ever-widening circle of red around his body.

XXX

"Lauren, I really need to go. I'm in the middle of a hunt," Sam said happily, laughing into the phone. "I know, I know..." He trailed off as his phone beeped to let him know another call was coming in. "Hey, Lauren, I'm getting another call. I don't know how long it will take, so I'll call you back later. Love you." He switched the phone over to the incoming call.

"Hello?" he answered. There was still a trace of laughter in his voice.

"You need to help Dean," the voice on the other end said. Sam could hear another, more frantic voice in the background but could not make out what it was saying.

"Who is this? Dean's fine."

"He's not fine. He's dying. Apparently, there is blood everywhere," the lady said emotionlessly.

"Who is this?" Sam asked angrily.

"Oh my god," the woman said in exasperation, "Just do what I said. My friend is freaking out."

"Fine," Sam answered tersely. He hung up and hurried out of the room and up the stairs. "Dean?" he called when he got to the top. He headed in the opposite direction of the room Dean was in, but then he heard Dean's cell phone ringing from the other end of the hall.

"Dean?" Sam called again, moving toward the sound. He followed the ringing to the end of the hall and opened the door to the room it was coming from. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Dean's unconscious body crumpled on the floor. "Dean?"

He rushed over to him when he saw the blood. "Dean?" he called again, voice shaking from fear.

Dean started to stir. He came to when Sam rolled him onto his stomach so that he could get a look at the wound. His phone was still ringing, and he answered it drowsily.

"Hello?" he croaked out.

"What the hell are you doing, Dean?" Sam asked as he frantically tried to staunch the blood.

Dean ignored him as he waited for a response. The line was silent, however.

"Hello?" Dean repeated irritably.

There was muffled noise on the other end, and then Dean clearly heard his name said by a voice he recognized.

"Liz?" he asked in disbelief, voice slightly stronger. His wound was completely forgotten as he tried to sit up.

Sam held him down. "Stay still, Dean," he chided him.

"Liz?" Dean repeated, gripping the phone. His heart was suddenly pounding.

The line went silent again for a minute, and then he heard more muffled noise.

"Sorry, wrong number," a different voice said, and the line went dead.

"Liz?" Dean repeated weakly then passed out again.

"Dean?" Sam asked anxiously. When he got no response, he pulled his cell out and called 911.

"There's already a car en route to that address," the operator informed him. "It's about two minutes out. The best thing that you can do is try to staunch the bleeding. I'll walk you through it."

"I got it, thanks," he answered, hanging up the phone. "Sandy!" he yelled. "There's a problem upstairs. Can you go meet the ambulance?"

When he got no response, he yelled her name again. She still did not respond. Sam could hear the sirens getting closer and applied as much pressure to the wound as he could.

The EMTs pounded on the door several times before coming in.

"He's upstairs!" Sam yelled and waited for them to find him. When they had taken over and begun trying to stabilize Dean, Sam jogged downstairs in search of Sandy. He found her in one of the side rooms, also lying in a pool of blood. Her pulse was weak, and even though the cut on her side looked shallower, she was in worse shape than Dean. He scooped her up and took her to meet the EMTs as they were bringing Dean down.

"I couldn't find my friend. I just did." Sam sounded shell-shocked, even to himself.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Lyrics are from "Going to a Town" by Rufus Wainwright.

**Chapter Three**

Dean knew he was dreaming. He had had hundreds of dreams like this one since Liz had died.

He was in a bar, and she was there sitting on the stage with a small smile playing on her lips. As he watched, she came alive, standing to sing to music that appeared from nowhere.

"I'm going to a town that has already been burnt down  
I'm going to a place that has already been disgraced  
I'm gonna see some folks who have already been let down…"

Dean was entranced by her as he often was in these dreams. She continued to sing, and he continued to watch. She walked to the edge of the stage and sat down, legs dangling over the edge as she sang to Dean.

"Oh, I may just never see you again or might as well…"

Dean tried to stop the dream in his mind but could not. Liz stopped singing and watched him with an enigmatic smile.

"I miss you, Dean," she told him. It was the first time in a long time that she had spoken to him in one of his dreams, and he reveled in it. "I miss you so much. Don't worry, though. I'll see you again soon."

She stood and turned to walk away.

"NO!" Dean called desperately. "Stay!"

Liz turned back around patiently. "I can't," she answered sadly. She hopped off the stage and walked over to Dean.

He grabbed her into a tight hug, which she returned. She pulled back but did not break the embrace.

"It's been so long since I've gotten to be in America. I can't wait to be home." She kissed him chastely on the cheek. "See you soon. I promise."

With that, she vanished. Dean looked around the room frantically, but she was nowhere to be found.

He sat back down in his chair and willed himself to wake up.

Just like that, he did. He opened his eyes and automatically knew he was in a hospital. A disinfectant smell hung in the air, and the walls were too white. He belatedly became aware of the tubes coming out of his nose. Lastly, he realized that he had some unwelcome visitors.

Jason was in the corner of the room watching him with a very unhappy look on his face while Maggie was by his bed watching him with an expression that, though she was smiling, was not particularly friendly.

Dean struggled to sit up, and Maggie pushed him back down. Dean could not decide if she was able to so easily hold him down because he was weak or because she was surprisingly strong. Whatever the reason, he could not sit up while her arm was on his chest pushing against him.

Maggie sighed impatiently. "If we meant you harm, Dean, we would have already done it," she pointed out. "Now, it took me quite a bit of time and effort to patch you up, so I would appreciate you not undoing all of my hard work by doing too much too soon."

Dean quit struggling but did not look happy about it. He glared over Maggie's shoulder at Jason.

Maggie laughed. "You really needn't worry about him, Dean," she informed him. "He's the reason that you are alive right now."

She reached out and tapped Dean's temple with her middle finger. "Rest now," she commanded.

Dean's eyes closed, and he immediately lost consciousness. Maggie watched him fall asleep and turned to Jason angrily.

"I hope you know what it is that you are doing," she told him. "Tom is not going to be pleased with this turn of events."

Jason gave her a deadly look. "Thanks, Captain Obvious. Why don't you let me worry about Tom?" he snapped.

Maggie was not intimidated in the least. "Such insolence from someone I could snap in half like a twig," she told him scornfully. "I will _not_ take the blame for this," she promised, indicating Dean with a flourish of her arm. "Tom's been trying to kill the boy for the last five years, and when he finally managed to, you swoop in like the big hero and save him. There will be hell to pay for this."

Jason smirked. "We'll see about that," he said cryptically.

Maggie sized him up with a calculating look. "You know, saving Dean won't bring Liz back."

Jason's smirk widened. "We'll see about that, too," he said. He headed for the door before Maggie could question him, motioning for her to follow him.

"Let's go, Maggie. I imagine the rest of the Scooby gang will be here momentarily."

Maggie cocked her head as she tried to figure Jason out. "Sam is down the hall," she told him. "You can go taunt him if you want. I'm sure he's nice and vulnerable right about now."

Jason shrugged. "Maybe I will," he replied. "Wait for me in the car."

XXX

Sam hated hospitals at least as much as Dean did. He hated their smell and the too white walls. He hated the hushed tones everyone used and the horrible lighting. And now he was once again waiting alone in one to find out if his brother was going to live. He had called Bobby and Lauren, but their flights would not be in for a couple of hours. Jo and Ellen were coming with Bobby, and Bobby was supposed to get in touch with Sandy's relatives and friends to let them know what was happening.

Sam was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he never saw Jason come into the waiting room. He sat beside Sam, careful not to touch him.

"You look like you could use a friend," Jason observed in a neutral tone.

It took Sam a minute to reign in his anger. "What are you doing here?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Jason held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "This wasn't my idea, okay, and I would appreciate if you didn't tell anyone that you saw me, especially not Lauren."

"What does Lauren have to do with anything?" Sam demanded.

Jason looked agitated. "Nothing. Just…forget I said anything."

Sam looked deadly. "Stay away from Lauren," he bit out.

Jason gave him a sympathetic look. "You should watch yourself around her. She's bad news."

Sam clenched and unclenched his hands. "You don't know anything about Lauren. Don't say another word about her. Is that why you're here? To gloat that Dean is hurt and try to come between me and Lauren? You can go to hell, Jason. Leave now before I make you leave."

Jason rolled his eyes at the threat. "I'm not here to gloat, Sam. I'm sorry about Dean. I got a call from someone who thought you shouldn't have to be alone during all this, and I came."

"Someone? 'The girl who called me' someone? Who was she?"

"She called you?" Jason asked in surprise. "You didn't recognize her?"

Sam looked confused. "Recognize who? I'm positive that I've never heard that voice before in my life."

Jason nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I thought you might have met her. She works with Bobby."

"How do you know that?"

Jason could not keep the mocking tone out of his voice. "I know lots of things you don't," he replied. He shook his head in wonder. "Bobby is going to be so pissed. I can't believe that after all that effort she did something like this. She is going to catch some hell for this."

Sam was getting annoyed. "Who is this 'she,' and what does she have to do with Bobby?"

Jason was smug as he responded. "I can't tell you. You'll have to figure it out for yourself. It's too bad that you won't."

"I won't, huh? My job is to find things that don't want to be found. I think I can find a girl."

Jason shrugged. "If you say so. A word of advice, though: I'd get crackin' if I were you. She's better at hiding than you are at finding things, and she has a head start."

Sam rolled his eyes. "What is she, some kind of spy?"

Jason laughed. "She's more efficient than a spy," he replied enigmatically.

Sam looked confused. "And she works with Bobby?"

Jason looked chagrined. "And I promised you wouldn't find out anything from me. The problem with that is that over the last few years, I've actually started to kind of like you and your brother, so I'm hoping that you prove me wrong and find her. If you do, tell her I said hi. Oh, and do me a favor: don't ask for anyone but Dean's help on this. Not Bobby's. Especially not Lauren's," he requested. He got up and stretched. "I promised I wouldn't leave you alone, but I think you're okay. I'll stay if you want, though."

Sam scoffed. "I don't need you to hold my hand," he insisted.

Jason laughed. "Take care of yourself, Sam. Try to keep Dean from doing anything else stupid. I'm sure I'll see you again after this, but if not, give Dean my regards. Don't worry; he'll be fine. I have a feeling it'll take more than this to kill him."

Sam grabbed Jason's arm as he started to walk away. "Why can't I tell Lauren about this?" he asked.

Jason looked away guiltily. "I just think you should be careful who you trust with this information," he replied. He knocked Sam's hand off of his arm and headed down the hall.

XXX

"How's he doing?" Jo asked, hurrying up to Sam and pulling him into a hug.

Sam looked haggard. "I'm not sure," he replied, frustration seeping out of him. "The last report I got, there had been some unusual activity and they were trying to figure out what had happened. He came out of surgery several hours ago and has been stabilized. They haven't let me back to see him yet, and I can't get anyone to tell me what's going on."

"What about Sandy?" Bobby asked.

Sam shook his head sadly. "They don't think she's gonna make it," Sam informed him. "I'm so sorry, Bobby. She's in room 143 if you want to go see her. I've been in and out."

"I'll be in there if you need me," Bobby replied and started down the hall.

"Wait!" Sam called after him. He jogged to catch up. "There's something I have to do right now. Can you call me if anything changes?"

Bobby looked concerned. "Don't do anything stupid, Sam. Whatever is in that house is obviously stronger than we thought. We'll take care of it but not right now while you're not thinking straight."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid," Sam promised. "I just need to clear my head."

Bobby looked unconvinced. "Okay, go. I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Thank you," Sam said, grabbing his coat and heading for the door.

"You're leaving?" Jo asked in angry disbelief.

"I'll be back," he told her distractedly, never breaking his stride.

Jo rounded on Bobby. "Where the hell does Sam think he's going?"

"You'd have to ask him that," Bobby answered dispassionately. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hunter to go say goodbye to."

XXX

"Russia? I don't know anyone in Russia and this girl was definitely American."

"I don't know what to tell you, sir. The call came from Russia."

"Can you give me any other information?" Sam asked. "A name perhaps? That call saved my brother's life."

"I wish I could, sir, but I can't release that information."

"That's okay. Thanks for your help."

Sam hung up with the operator and tried to think if there was anyone he knew in Russia. He started to call Bobby but thought better of it.

He glanced at the time and started when he realized how late it had gotten. It was time to head back to the hospital. Everything else would have to wait.

It was still cold in Detroit, but spring was starting to rear its head. Sam was oblivious to the signs of life budding around him as he drove to the hospital to wait and hope for his brother to once again cheat death.

When he reached the hospital, Sam discovered that Sandy had died while he was gone. He wanted to say something comforting to the large group of family that had invaded the waiting room, but he couldn't think of anything. 'She died fighting a noble death' seemed hollow. If there was one thing that Sam had learned, it was that there was no such thing as a noble death. When the dust settled, you were still dead, and the bad thing wasn't.

"Sam, are you okay?" Bobby asked. He leaned up against the wall next to Sam then took a deep breath and let it out.

Sam blinked back tears. "I'm okay. How's Sandy's family doing?"

Bobby cleared his throat. "Not so hot," he said. "They didn't know that Sandy was a hunter. They thought she was in Detroit working on her master's."

Sam swallowed down his tears. "She should have never been there with us, Bobby," he said. "We knew that she was inexperienced, and we let her come anyway. This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault, Sam. Dean is probably the most experienced hunter I've got, and he was taken down by whatever's in that house. We all thought it was just a simple case of a ghost gone bad. If anyone's gonna take the blame for this, it's gonna be me. I'm the one that assigned this case to Sandy."

"It's neither one of our faults," Sam admitted. "I know that. It's just hard when someone dies so unnecessarily."

"You're right, it is. We've gotta keep going, though."

Sam nodded. "Has there been any change with Dean?"

Bobby shook his head. "He's stable, but he still hasn't woken up. It looks like he's out of the woods, though."

"Are they letting anyone see him?"

"They haven't, but I bet they'd let you."

XXX

The tubes and monitors emphasized how fragile Dean looked lying on the hospital bed. Sam pulled a chair up beside him and sat down.

"You know, Dean, it seems like we've been in this position too many times," he told Dean's unconscious form. He tried to fight the tears that came to his eyes, but they fell anyway. "I'm sorry, Dean. I'm sorry for a lot of things."

"Sam," a voice from the hall said. Sam turned toward it. There was an attractive, slender blonde in the hall watching him.

"Lauren! I'm so glad you're here." He walked to her and pulled her into a hug.

"He'll be okay, Sam," Lauren reassured him. She rubbed his back in comforting circles. "What have the doctors told you?"

Sam pulled back so he could see Lauren's face. "Not a lot. He's stable, and they are basically just waiting for him to wake up."

Lauren looked Dean over. "What'd they do with his wedding ring? I thought you guys wore those for protection."

Sam jerked his head around to look at Dean. "I didn't even notice it was missing. One of the nurses must have taken it before he went in to surgery. I'll have to remember to ask about that."

"You don't think he needs protecting right now?" Lauren wondered. "I could go check on it while you stay with him."

Sam looked relieved. "Would you mind?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I did."

"Thank you so much."

Lauren kissed him then headed down the hall to find someone to ask about Dean's ring. Sam watched her go then turned back to Dean. He jumped in surprise as he realized Dean was watching him.

"Good lord, Dean, you scared the crap out of me."

"So you called Lauren, huh?"

Sam's face closed. "Now's not the time, Dean."

"You're acting like someone died. I'm a little worse for the wear, but I'm not dead."

"Sandy is, though."

Dean sucked in a breath. "That thing got Sandy?"

"Yeah. Her family's here. It's bad. They don't know that she was a hunter, so they think the two of you were randomly attacked. They're really having a rough time of it."

Dean sat for a moment then cleared his throat several times. "I…that's…" He stopped and cleared his throat again. "Where's my wedding ring, Sam?"

"Lauren went to go ask the nurses about it."

Dean shook his head. "It's at the house. It's gotta be. The ghost must have taken it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"The stupid bitch mentioned it. She said that they—not 'she' but 'they'—had been waiting for me to be stupid enough to not wear the amulet that Liz gave me and that my ring couldn't protect me against them. She laughed about it."

Sam shrugged. "Okay. I'll go look for it later."

Dean shook his head. "You're not going in that house alone. A good person died today, and I almost did, too. I don't want you getting hurt. I couldn't live with myself if you went looking for my ring and got yourself killed."

"Then I'll take Bobby."

Dean thought about it. "That's better. Still not good enough, though."

"I'm not leaving your ring in that house as a prize for the thing that did this to you. You can't stop me, so I don't know what you expect to do about it."

"I'm hurt now, but I won't always be. When I get better, I'll kick your ass."

"Go to sleep, Dean. You're making my head hurt."

"I love you, too, Sam."

"Yeah? Well, Jo's dying to come lick your wounds. Want me to send her and Ellen down together?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me, big bro."

Dean shoulders shook with laughter. He grimaced in pain when the movement aggravated his wounds. Lauren appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, good, you're awake," she said unenthusiastically. "That was the longest I think I've ever heard you be silent. Well, that is except when you are passed out into a drunken stupor."

"Lauren," Sam chided.

Dean's eyes flashed angrily. "How was the flight, Lauren? Was it hard to get through security with that giant stick up your ass?"

"Dean!" Sam scolded.

"Oh, Dean," Lauren began.

"Would you two please stop fighting?" Sam begged. "Someone we know just died, and it was partially our fault, Dean. Could you save the bickering for another time? Please? For me if for nothing else?"

Dean looked thoroughly chastised. "Sorry, Sam. You're right."

"I'm sorry, too, darling," Lauren said.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Would you let everyone else know that I'm awake, Sam?" he wondered.

"Sure."

"Could you go with him?" he asked Lauren.

Lauren scowled at him. "Like I would stay here with you."

Sam sighed and headed down the hall, pulling Lauren with him.

XXX

Sandy was buried on a cold, windy day. Dean disobeyed doctor's orders and checked himself out of the hospital so he could attend. He hung around after the services, staring at the black coffin.

Sam clapped him on the back. "Come on, Dean, let's go home. It's cold, and you need to get some rest."

Dean was in a thoughtful mood, though, and not ready to leave. "What am I doing, Sam? Getting plastered and screwing a bunch of chicks whose names I don't even remember in the morning?"

Sam shrugged. "Well, pretty much, yeah. Throw some hunting in, and that's your life in a nutshell."

Dean laughed bitterly. "Liz would be so proud of me, huh?"

"Dean…"

"I told her it would be okay, Sam. Sandy was scared, and I told her that everything would be okay. I told her that we had her back. Look at what that got her."

"Dean, there was nothing you could have done. If anyone should be beating themselves up, it's me. You would be dead, too, if I hadn't gotten that call."

Dean jerked his head around to stare at Sam. "What call? What are you talking about?"

"I don't know. Someone called and let me know you were hurt. Then Jason showed up at the hospital and told me not to trust anyone but you. I'm really confused right now, Dean."

"So Jason really was at the hospital?"

"You saw him?"

Dean thought about it. "He and Maggie were in my room when I woke up. They did something to me. Something to heal me, I think."

Sam scrunched up his face. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Tell me about it. Did you find my wedding ring? I know you went and looked."

Sam shook his head. "It wasn't there," he said. "I looked all over that dump of a building. I don't know what could have happened to it."

Dean looked around the cemetery. "So my amulet went missing, and now my wedding ring is gone. Feels like something's gunning for me and it's getting close."

"We'll figure something out, Dean. Until then, why don't you wear the ring that Liz gave me?"

Dean shook his head. "I don't want it. If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. A ring isn't going to change that."

"It could help your odds, though."

"You were right before, Sam. I fought for years without that amulet or ring. I can do it again. That ghost is not going to scare me into not hunting. If I'm gonna die, it's going to be fighting something badass, not hiding behind your skirt tails."

Sam looked at Dean and took in the stoic look on his face and the hard set of his shoulders. "It's not your fault that Sandy died, Dean. Hunting is a risky job, and she knew that."

Dean glared at Sam. "She deserved more than this. I feel like it's my fault she didn't get it."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Eight Days Earlier  
Yakutsk, Russia_

"Lindsey, it's time to go. It's not even nighttime, and you're smashed."

"I don't want to go, Cassie," Liz protested, slurring her words to the point that they were almost unrecognizable. She flung her arms out, motioning around herself. "I'm having too much fun with my new friends."

The group of men at Liz's table cheered their agreement.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I wasn't asking if you wanted to leave," she told her brusquely and forced Liz to her feet. "Let's go."

Liz's chin-length, light brown hair fell into her eyes as she stood, and Cassie was momentarily distracted by the colors the light made when it hit Liz's strands. She was watching Liz, so she didn't see that one of the Russian men had stood and was looking to make problems. When she saw him, Cassie once again wished she had brought her gun with her to the bar.

"Can you stand on your own, Linds?" she asked, feeling in her pockets for any weapons she might have on her person.

"No," Liz said, stumbling as she took a step forward. "Everything is spinning, even you."

"Great," Cassie responded sarcastically.

Cassie managed to get Liz out of the bar and to their hotel suite without incident, something for which she was deeply grateful. She sat Liz down on her bed and started removing her shoes. When she'd tossed them aside, Cassie moved to Liz's jacket. She stopped as she was sliding it off and looked at Liz. It was twilight, and the soft light spilling into the room through the slats in the blinds made Liz look at peace. Cassie was once again struck by how beautiful Liz was. She watched her for a moment, transfixed, then haltingly leaned down and pressed her lips against Liz's.

Liz's eyes popped open, and for a moment, she responded in kind, mouth opening to allow her tongue to tangle with Cassie's. She brought her hands up and cupped Cassie's face as they kissed. Her drunken haze soon broke, and she pulled back in confusion.

"Cassie?" she asked, shaking her head to clear it. Her eyes were glazed as she looked at Cassie. "What are you doing?"

Cassie didn't answer, instead kissing along Liz's collarbone to the center of her chest. She unbuttoned Liz's shirt until her bra was revealed then leaned forward to follow her hands with her lips. Liz gripped Cassie's hair and jerked her head back.

"I asked what you're doing, Cass," Liz reminded her, slightly more lucid this time and with a trace of unease to her voice.

Cassie grabbed Liz's hands and held her down by her wrists. "I'm doing what we've both wanted for awhile."

"Cassie," Liz began. What she was going to say was lost when Cassie kissed her again. Liz struggled to break Cassie's hold on her wrists, but she was too drunk to push off all of Cassie's weight that was pressing down on her.

When Cassie came up for air, Liz tried again. "Cassie, get off me," she demanded.

Cassie kissed her again instead. Liz squealed and bucked against her.

"Get off of me!" Liz commanded. "I mean it, Cassie. I want you to stop."

Cassie stopped but stayed pressed against Liz. "But why?" she wondered. "You like it. I can tell."

Liz once again bucked against Cassie. "Get off of me, please," she requested. She managed to not let Cassie see how shaken she was.

Cassie sighed unhappily and moved off of Liz. "Lindsey, I…"

Liz rolled to where her back was facing Cassie and curled into a ball. "Go to bed, Cass."

XXX

"I didn't do anything," Cassie insisted when Liz came into the kitchen later that night after having slept for a few hours. Liz ignored her and started clumsily maneuvering around the kitchen making a late-night snack. She kept her back to Cassie as she went about assembling the food.

Cassie fidgeted in her chair. "I'm not going to lie, Linds, I wanted to. But you told me to stop, and I couldn't force you to do anything. I would _never_ have forced you to do anything you didn't want to do. Please, Lindsey, talk to me."

Liz rubbed her temples tiredly. "I can tell I'm going to be really hung over in the morning, and I'm trying to preempt that. I've had a really bad day. Can we do this another time?"

Cassie looked wounded. "I just want to make this right," she explained desperately.

Liz sighed impatiently. "You can't. Please, leave me alone."

"But—"

The phone rang, cutting off Cassie's response.

"Are you going to answer that?" Liz asked Cassie nastily when the phone continued to ring.

Cassie angrily grabbed the phone and barked out a greeting. She listened to the person on the other end for a moment then rolled her eyes and held the phone out for Liz to take.

"Imagine that," she said sarcastically, "Bobby's calling you, and he sounds unhappy. Will wonders never cease?"

Liz jerked the phone out of Cassie's hand and walked into her room. "What?" she greeted Bobby gruffly after she had shut the door.

The line was silent a moment before Bobby answered. "Do I even need to say anything? Dean dreamed about you last night. He didn't realize it was you, but we can't afford to risk—"

"It was stupid. I get it," Liz bit out, cutting him off before he could launch into a lecture.

Bobby was not prepared to let her off that easy, however. "It was beyond stupid," he reiterated.

"I said that I get it," Liz responded with an edge to her tone. "I'm sorry that Dean was in my head. Get him to wear his necklace like you said you would so that I don't have a front row seat to him screwing Jo's brains out, and it won't happen again."

"Watch it, girl," Bobby warned her. "I'm in charge of assignments, and there are an awful lot of places I could send you to make the next few months very lonely and difficult."

Liz rolled her eyes. "I'm shaking in my boots, Bobby," she taunted sarcastically.

Bobby changed tactics. "Seattle's moving along as scheduled," he said conversationally. "I might need someone to go out for a few weeks in a couple of months and help the guy who's gonna be running everything up there."

"Don't tease me with stuff you never plan to give me," Liz requested angrily.

"If you can manage not to pull anymore stunts like last night, I will guarantee that you can have the assignment."

"Swear, Bobby. I want you to swear that you'll send me."

"No more nights like last night," Bobby warned her, voice hard.

"I promise," Liz answered, hope coloring her voice.

"How's the assignment coming along?" he asked.

Liz snorted. "It's not. The guy's a misogynistic jerk. Cassie's been taking lead on this one, but I think I may need to step in and handle it."

"Whatever you think, Lindsey."

"I think the first order of business needs to be me sleeping off this alcohol," Liz joked lamely. She hesitated for a moment. "There's something else, Bobby."

Bobby sighed tiredly. "What now?"

"Well, it's about me and Cassie…"

XXX

"You'll never guess who's here."

Cassie sighed into the receiver. She was too exhausted to deal with Sandy's perkiness. Liz had gone back to bed after her conversation with Bobby, and Cassie was so anxious about making things right between them that she hadn't been able to sleep. "Who, Sandy?" she asked uncaringly.

"Dean and Sam Winchester," Sandy replied excitedly. "Bobby sent them to take care of a job in Detroit, and they are staying with me while they're here."

"You shouldn't have called," Cassie replied, her tone severe. "You know how Lindsey gets about Dean Winchester."

"I know," Sandy responded apologetically. She perked up. "Tell Lindsey that I owe her fifty bucks."

"He really is as hot as she said?" Cassie asked. She could not keep the curiosity out of her voice and hated herself for that.

"Even hotter, actually," Sandy informed her with a laugh. "If she slept with him like she said, then I am impressed. I can see what the big deal is."

"And his ass?" Cassie had to know.

Sandy giggled in response. "Like steel," she confided. "I didn't believe her, either."

There was a pause. "I gotta go," Sandy said nervously. The line went dead in Cassie's ear.

Cassie rolled her eyes at Sandy's melodramatic behavior then stood and walked to Liz's bedroom. She knocked on the door and waited to be acknowledged. If Liz was awake, she was ignoring Cassie.

Cassie knocked harder on the door. "Our friends are stupid," she called through the door. "I thought you should know that."

It took a minute, but the door opened.

Cassie rolled her eyes at Liz. "Let me guess: you were in the bathroom and didn't hear me knocking."

Liz shrugged. "No, I was ignoring you," she replied coldly. "What do you want?"

"Sandy called to say she owes you fifty bucks. She said Dean Winchester is everything you said and more."

Liz got a confused look on her face. "Sandy? Sandy from Detroit, you mean?"

Cassie smiled, reveling in knowing something that Liz did not. "Yeah, Sandy from Detroit. Bobby sent the Winchester brothers on a job, and they are staying with her."

"Well, bully for her," Liz said irritably.

Cassie smiled malevolently. "What's the matter, Lindsey? Worried that Sandy may be added as another notch on Dean's bedpost? I don't know why you think you're so memorable. The way I hear it, Dean's not exactly picky. I'd quit feeling so special that he slept with me if I were you."

"I don't feel special because I slept with Dean," Liz protested defensively. "I've only ever brought it up once, and I only did that because I was extremely drunk and felt the need to throw you and Sandy a bone since you were offering up so many tidbits about yourself. That's the only reason you even know about me and Dean. I wish now that I hadn't told you. The two of you have blown it way out of proportion."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Oh, give it up, Lindsey. You glowed when you talked about him. Glowed! You told us that he was the best lay you'd ever had in your entire life and that he was the best you could ever imagine having. You couldn't really expect us to just let that lie."

Liz considered Cassie silently while she reigned in her anger. "I asked Bobby to give me a new partner after this assignment is over," she told her with calm finality.

Shock overtook Cassie's face, followed by tears. "You can't do that, Lindsey! It's not fair! You kissed me back! Just because you are freaking out because you realized how you feel about me doesn't mean you have the right to throw away four years of partnership."

Liz looked pained. "That's just it, Cassie. I'm not freaking out. I'm more embarrassed than anything. I feel kind of stupid that it took me so long to realize that you like girls."

"It's not exactly like I'm out joining parades, Linds," Cassie rebutted.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Still, four years is a long time, Cassie, and I had no idea until you kissed me. It caught me off guard and I had just spent the last several hours in a state of drunken revelry and thought, 'Well, this could be fun.' That lasted all of a kiss, though, Cassie. I don't feel the same way about you. I love you, but not like that. I wish I did, Cass, 'cause it would make everything so much easier."

Cassie choked back a sob. "Call Bobby back and tell him you've changed your mind, Lindsey. I can deal with you not wanting me back as long as I get to stay with you."

Tears came to Liz's eyes. "I'm not going to do that, Cassie. I care too much about you to let you keep wasting your life watching after me. I want you to be able to find someone who can love you like you deserved to be loved."

Cassie's face hardened. "I'm wasting my life? What about you? All you do is mope around. In the four years that I've known you, you haven't even had a drink with a guy, much less brought one home. Oh, you've flirted, but that's about it. Flirting's harmless, right? Don't lecture me about wasting my life when you're not doing any better yourself."

Liz gulped. "You're my best friend in the whole world, Cassie. I'm not asking for a new partner for me. I'm asking for a new partner because you deserve more than what I can give you."

"I don't want more," Cassie protested. "I want you in whatever way I can get you."

"I'm not changing my mind," Liz said forcefully. "I'm sorry."

XXX

_That Afternoon  
A Warehouse Across Town_

"Did you get _any_ sleep last night?" Liz wondered.

"Let's just get this meeting over with, okay?" Cassie answered sullenly.

"Whatever you want," Liz replied with a shrug. She sat back in her chair and waited on the men they were meeting to arrive.

The men were fifteen minutes late, which made Cassie even more irritable. She got right to the point when they finally showed. "Have you considered our offer, Mr. Petrovich?"

The man she was addressing shrugged noncommittally. "I've considered it. I'm still considering it." He leered at Liz then looked back at Cassie. "Throw in a night with your friend, and I might be more inclined to give you a favorable response. I hear she's quite the party animal."

Liz glared at him and slid up the sleeve of her shirt to show him Dean's mark.

Mr. Petrovich's eyebrows raised in surprise. "The marked of a claimed woman. Interesting. Still, that would seem to be more your problem than mine."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just listen to her?" she asked, lip curling in disgust.

Mr. Petrovich smiled in amusement and turned his attention back to Cassie. "I am all ears," he said derisively.

Cassie ignored his mocking tone. "Barrister Enterprises is getting more powerful by the minute. There's no guarantee that we'll be able to help you if you don't join us."

"Are you trying to threaten me?"

"Of course not. I'm just stating the facts. We are much less inclined to send people to die in a place that didn't stand up for itself when it had the chance."

"I will consider your offer and get back to you."

"Thank you, sir," Cassie said graciously.

Liz was less gracious. She stood up impatiently and began addressing the man in Russian. "She doesn't understand Russian," Liz explained, indicating Cassie, "so let me address you freely. You are going to join us because you don't want your village burned to the ground and demons overrunning it. Barrister Enterprises is not just our problem; it's everyone's. Stop jerking us around and pick a side already."

The man got a superior look on his face. "Why should I choose you?" he asked, also in Russian. "I hear Barrister Enterprises was started by a ruthless man and his son is just as ruthless."

Liz became deadly calm. "That ruthless man shared a fatal flaw with his son: from the day he was born until the day his daughter killed him, he underestimated women. So, you are going to choose me because you understand that there are few things scarier than a woman who's got it on her mind to be vicious. Get back to us when you decide. Good day."

Liz turned to Cassie. "Let's go," she said, turning and walking off.

Cassie stood uncertainly. Mr. Petrovich stopped her before she could follow Liz.

"Who is she?" he asked, nodding after Liz.

Cassie looked mournfully after Liz. "One hell of a woman," she replied.

The man smiled. "You have that right. It is too bad that she is marked. I have a feeling that there are other areas at which she would be fantastic."

"You keep saying that. Marked for what?"

The man's smile widened. "Semantics, my dear girl. Semantics. Not 'for what' but 'by whom.' That symbol on her wrist means that a man has claimed her and no other one is allowed to touch her. Like I said, it is too bad."

Cassie looked disturbed. "I've been her partner for years, and she's never told me that."

Mr. Petrovich was amused. "I would imagine not. She does not seem like the type of woman to enjoy being a man's property. I would be interested to know the circumstances that led to her getting that mark."

Cassie laughed bitterly. "I can just about promise that you never will."

Mr. Petrovich looked after Liz. "It does not matter. I will join you in your fight, nonetheless. Feel free to contact me for anything you need. I have a feeling that betting on that woman is betting with the winner."

XXX

Liz and Cassie stopped at a restaurant on their way back to the hotel. They ate in silence. After that, they started their rounds through the city. There was no supernatural activity to speak of, so they got to their room not long after midnight.

Liz opened the door to their suite and started heading to her room when Cassie grabbed her wrist and pulled up the sleeve of her shirt so she could see Liz's mark.

Liz fought her off, angrily jerking her arm away from her. "What the hell is wrong with you, Cassie?" she demanded, putting a step between them.

Cassie got a determined look on her face. "Mr. Petrovich told me what that mark on your wrist means. You never told me that some man made you his possession. Who was it?"

Liz shook her head angrily in response to Cassie's question. "It's none of your damn business."

Cassie was not to be swayed, however. "Is that why Bobby exiled you? Who was it?"

Liz thought long and hard before answering Cassie. "I'm going to tell you about this exactly once and then never speak of it again. I did what was necessary to save a whole bunch of people. It doesn't matter who it was. I don't blame him. He marked me, sure, but I marked him, too. We changed one another, and we can't undo it. We both have to deal with that. As far as Bobby is concerned, he didn't exile me; I did it to myself. I chose to go far, far away for reasons that I can't really get into."

Cassie's anger melted into a sympathetic look. "At least you got to have a little fun with Dean Winchester before this other jerk got you."

Liz's eyes widened before she could stop them. She looked at the floor until her stoic mask slid back on then hazarded a glance back at Cassie. Cassie had missed Liz's surprised look, however, so Liz was safe from more prying questions.

"Yeah, at least there was that," she mumbled.

"So that's why you never bring anyone home, huh?"

Liz smiled halfheartedly. "That's one explanation for it, yeah."

"What would have happened if I hadn't stopped?" Cassie asked, fear and guilt in her eyes.

Liz smiled reassuringly. "Nothing. The thing about misogynistic curses is that they are misogynistic. I can't be an adulteress with a woman."

Cassie sighed in relief. "That's good."

Liz went as white as a sheet and clutched her side in pain.

"What's wrong, Lindsey?" Cassie asked worriedly. She moved to help Liz, but Liz held up a hand to stop her.

Liz reached a shaky hand into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a long sequence of numbers and handed the phone to Cassie.

"I just called Sam. Tell him to go help Dean. He's hurt, and Sam needs to help him!"

Cassie looked lost. "Sam? Who's Sam?" Her eyes lit with sudden understanding. "Sam Winchester!?! You know Sam Winchester's number off the top of your head? Why?"

Liz gave her an impatient look. "That's not important right now! The phone is ringing. Talk. First, give me your phone, though."

"Why?"

"Just give me your phone!" Liz demanded.

Cassie stood frozen for a second then handed Liz her phone. Liz grabbed the phone and frantically dialed another number. Sam answered just as Liz started talking about an ambulance, so Cassie missed what Liz said next.

"Hello?" Sam said distractedly.

"You need to help Dean," Cassie told him.

Liz snapped Cassie's phone closed and turned troubled eyes on Cassie. Cassie could barely hear Sam's reply because Liz started talking at the same time: "Tell him to go upstairs, Cassie. Dean is upstairs. He's bleeding a lot. There's blood everywhere, Cassie! Tell him to go now! Dean's dying!"

Cassie could feel the numbness spreading through her limbs. "He's not fine," she told Sam in a monotone voice. "He's dying. Apparently, there is blood everywhere."

"Who is this?" Sam demanded.

Cassie lost her patience. "Oh my god, just do what I said. My friend is freaking out."

"Fine," Sam said and hung up in her ear.

Cassie flipped the phone closed and watched Liz with concern. She was falling apart.

"Sam's on his way," Cassie informed her, handing Liz's phone back to her.

Liz took the phone absently and pocketed it. The frantic look had come back onto her face. "He doesn't know where Dean is," Liz said, talking aloud to herself. She used Cassie's phone to dial another number and listened as the phone rang. When it went to voicemail, she hung up and dialed again. She did it again and again.

The fifth time she dialed, Dean answered.

"Hello?" he croaked out, sounding like he was a step away from death.

Liz froze, eyes going wide.

"Hello?" Dean repeated, sounding annoyed despite his condition.

"Who are you calling?" Cassie asked from beside Liz.

Liz covered the receiver. "I called Dean," she informed Cassie with a panicked expression, "and he answered."

"So hang up," Cassie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Liz froze again when Dean said her name.

"I think he heard me," she whispered to Cassie. She held the phone out to Cassie. "Please say something to him," she begged.

"I don't want to," Cassie replied angrily, trying to push the phone back toward Liz.

"Please," Liz begged, throwing in some puppy-dog eyes for good measure.

Cassie rolled her eyes but took the phone. "Sorry, wrong number," she said and hung up. She pinned Liz with a glare. "Bobby's not going to be happy about this, is he?"

Liz shrugged. "I would imagine not."

"What's going on, Lindsey? Why did you know the phone numbers to Sam and Dean Winchester off the top of your head?" Cassie pursed her lips. "Dean's the one who marked you, isn't he?"

Liz looked at the ground. "I can't talk to you about this."

"I'm taking your phone away until I can get hold of Bobby and get this sorted out."

Liz laughed. "I'm not a child that's going to sit in the corner because you say so. If you want my phone, you can come over here and take it from me." Liz gave Cassie a defiant glare then called someone else. She avoided Cassie when she tried to grab the phone away from her.

"Hello?" a bored voice answered.

"Jason?" Liz asked uncertainly, unsure if it was Jason's voice or not on the other end.

Half a world away, Jason gripped his phone, heart jumping into his throat. "Liz?" he asked hopefully.

Jason heard scuffling as Cassie wrestled the phone away from Liz.

"Sorry, wrong number," Cassie told him.

Jason's heart rate picked up. "Let me talk to Liz again," he demanded.

"Who is Liz?" Cassie asked, genuinely confused.

"Please don't hang up," Jason begged frantically. "I know I heard her. Please, just let me talk to Liz."

He almost cried out when the phone when dead in his ear.

Liz looked deadly as she sized up Cassie. Cassie returned the glare.

"Who was that, and why did he think your name was Liz?" Cassie asked curiously.

The phone in Cassie's hand started ringing.

"Give me the phone, Cassie," Liz commanded.

"No. Tell me what is going on. Obviously, I don't know as much about you as I thought I did."

"Give. Me. The. Phone."

"Or what?" Cassie challenged.

She did not have time to defend herself against Liz's attack. Liz had knocked her unconscious and laid her on the floor before the phone stopped ringing. She grabbed the phone and answered it hurriedly.

"Jason, I need a favor," she began, forgoing the greeting.

"Liz?"

Liz sighed. "I know, I know: I'm dead. We'll have to save the catching up for another time. I need a favor."

"Why am I not surprised that you are calling me from beyond the grave because you need me to do something for you?"

Liz ignored the question. "I know you have access to Maggie. Get her and go to Detroit and help Dean. He's been hurt, and I don't know if the doctors will be enough. I'll call you back and let you know which hospital he's at."

"No" was Jason's short answer.

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I mean, no, Liz. Tom has been trying to get at Dean for the last five years. Do you know what he would do to me if I interfered?"

"Dean could die," Liz pointed out.

"Better him than me," Jason responded coldly.

"I'll do anything," Liz told him desperately.

"Anything?" Jason repeated thoughtfully. Liz could almost hear the gears at work in his brain. "You're going to owe me big time, Liz."

"What do you want?"

Liz just knew that Jason was smiling. "For starters, I want you to come out of hiding. I'm sure you had a really great reason for disappearing, but I'm a selfish bastard and don't care. You called me and if you want my help, then that's one of my terms."

There was a long pause while Liz thought about it. "Okay," she agreed in a voice barely above a whisper. "Okay."

Jason's breathing became labored. "Really?" he asked, voice cracking from emotion.

Liz's voice hardened. "If he dies, Jason, you'll _never_ see me again. Never. I'll be in contact with you after I know that Dean is okay, and we'll work out the details of my coming out party then. Goodbye, Jason."

"Liz!" Jason yelled to stop her from hanging up.

She stayed on the line. "What?"

"I need something more than your word, Liz."

Liz was silent for a moment. "My word is all I can give, Jason. It's not like you don't know my weaknesses and how to use them against me."

"Liz, you're asking me to take one hell of a risk on basically just faith. Tom could kill me and my family over this."

"Help me or not, Jason," Liz snapped. "I promise you that I'll give you what you want if you help me. My word is all I can give you, though. Take it or leave it, Jason."

She hung up before he could respond and prayed that she'd gotten through to him.

She looked down at Cassie and sighed. "I hate to do this to you, Cass, but I can't risk you figuring out who I am," she muttered. She pulled a small vial out of her pocket and forced its contents in Cassie's mouth.

Cassie's eyes fluttered open, and Liz forced a worried look on her face.

"Cassie, are you okay?"

Cassie looked around in confusion. "What happened?" she asked.

Liz rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "You hit your head and knocked yourself out. I've been so worried. Do you remember?"

Cassie shook her head. "The last thing I remember was that Sandy called and was telling me about something to do with some house guests she had."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"I got you something."

Cassie clenched her jaw and glared at Liz. "You can't buy me with your stupid presents, Lindsey. In fact, I have a suggestion for where you can shove your 'gift.'"

Liz stood for a moment, feigning indecision. "You're right. I'll just take this battle axe and put it back into my collection."

Cassie's interest was piqued. "Battle axe? The gold plated one?"

Liz nodded. "I know how much you like it, so I thought you should have it. If you don't want it, though…" She trailed off expectantly.

Cassie held out her hand and waited for Liz to hand over the weapon. "I'm still mad at you," she informed Liz. "I'm only taking this because I know that you think I won't."

"I'm sorry, Cassie. I never wanted it to go down like this."

Cassie turned away so that Liz wouldn't see the swirl of emotions on her face. "Does Bobby know yet who he's sending to replace me?"

Liz sighed and fingered the top of Cassie's suitcase nervously. "He's mentioned maybe sending Andrew. I don't think he's serious about that, though."

Cassie scrunched up her face. "Let's hope not. I didn't keep you alive all this time just to have it all blown by some second rate hunter."

Liz raised an eyebrow. "_You_ kept _me_ alive? You know, there's a reason I asked Bobby to team you with Alex."

"Why? Because he's icky and gross and a huge pig? You're punishing me for not liking men by forcing me to be in close quarters with one of the worst of them, aren't you?"

Liz gave Cassie a halfhearted smile. "You got me. I am so transparent."

"Why Alex, Lindsey? I have to know."

Liz shrugged. "He's an ass, but he's a capable ass. He'll keep you safe."

"I'm not a dainty flower, Lindsey." Cassie's voice was as hard as diamonds.

Liz glanced away guiltily. "I know, Cassie. You're something else on the battlefield. I'd just feel better knowing that you were with someone I trust."

"You trust _Alex_?!"

"As hard as that is to believe, yes."

Cassie looked dubious. "I suppose you're going to expect me to trust him, too."

Liz shrugged again. "I can't tell you how to feel, Cass. You know I trust him, and you can make up your own mind from there. I think that if you give him half a shot, you'll see that he's actually pretty great at what he does. It could be a really great assignment for you if you'll let it be."

"I'm still mad at you, Lindsey."

"That's a little out of left field, but okay."

"I just wanted you to know that all this shop talk doesn't change anything. I'm so mad at you that I could spit fire."

"That's understandable," Liz admitted.

Cassie slammed the suitcase she was packing shut. "Do you even care that I'm leaving, Lindsey?" she shouted angrily.

Liz was taken aback. "Of course, Cass, I—"

"Well, you seem pretty damn at peace with it to me!"

"Cassie, I—"

"Don't _lie_, Lindsey! You're glad I'm leaving because that's one less complication that you have to deal with! Admit it!"

"I—"

"Admit it, Lindsey! Tell me I'm a complication that you're glad to be rid of!"

Liz didn't say anything in response, just stood staring at Cassie. Her throat felt raw as she watched Cassie zip up her bag.

"That's what I thought," Cassie said quietly. She gathered up her suitcases and headed for the door.

Liz flinched when Cassie slammed the door as she left. She slid down the wall and finally allowed herself to let go of her control and cry.

XXX

*Beep, beep.*

*Beep, beep.*

*Beep, beep.*

"Hello?" Liz's voice was sleep roughened as she answered her phone. It took a moment before she finally decided to crack open her eyes.

"How are you, Lindsey?" It was Bobby.

Liz sat up in bed. She rubbed her face tiredly then cleared her throat. "I'm fine. I've been getting reports of gashadokuro, but so far I haven't found any evidence of any."

"You should hope that continues to be the case. Those things are nasty. Any progress with the town leaders?"

"Tom has already made a lot of inroads into Japan, so it's not going as well as I'd hoped. It's not all bad news, though. There are several local samurais who have promised to help. The situation with Barrister Enterprises has not gone entirely unnoticed here, it seems."

"That is good news."

The line hung in silence for a moment.

"Is that all you needed, Bobby?" Liz wondered.

"No, I called because I wondered if you had decided who you want to join you in Japan."

"I haven't really given it much thought."

"Sure you haven't, Lindsey," he said, calling her on her crap. "I need a decision sometime soon. I don't like you being by yourself."

"I don't know why you won't let me have Andrew as my new partner."

"You want Andrew because he is inexperienced and you could run over him. If this situation with Cassie has taught me anything, it's that you need someone who will stand up to you."

"I'll think about it, okay?"

"Think fast," Bobby told her. "If you haven't come up with someone we can agree on by the end of the week, I'm going to choose for you. I don't think you want that."

"Would it be Ellen?"

"That's not funny, Lindsey."

"Sorry."

Silence filled the line again.

"I know you're dying to ask about Dean, so go ahead," Bobby told her. "Part of the reason why I called was to give you an update. I thought you might want one."

Liz gripped the phone in anticipation. "You know I do, Bobby. Is there something wrong? He seems okay through what little bit I can feel him using the connection."

"He's fine," Bobby assured her. "He checked himself out of the hospital to go to Sandy's funeral even though he could barely walk. Ever since then, he's been a man on a mission. I'm a little worried."

"He'll snap out of it."

"I hope so."

"How was Sandy's service?" Liz asked. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. "I wish I could have been there."

"It was nice," Bobby replied. "Cassie just made it in time."

"I'm glad." Liz's voice sounded small and lost to Bobby.

"Are you okay by yourself, Liz?" Bobby wondered.

Liz gasped, heart catching in her throat. "You called me Liz," she said, relishing the moment.

"I did."

"Five years is a long time to not hear your own name."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Good. There's something I need you to work on. Dean said that the ghost stabbed him with a knife. Which has me wondering, since when do ghosts need knives to do their dirty work?"

"I'll start working on it. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Well, Dean said that right before the ghost appeared, he opened a box with the logo for your dad's company on it and that it was empty. He said the ghost initially told him to run because it couldn't fight it off much longer. Does that make any sense to you?"

Liz swallowed, suddenly feeling lightheaded. "I think I know what's happening. Let me talk to a few people before I sound the alarm, though."

"Give me an idea of what you're thinking."

"No. If I'm right, then this is majorly bad. I hope I'm wrong."

"Liz, tell me what you think is going on."

Liz audibly blew out a breath. "Well, for lack of a better way of putting it, I think the ghost that attacked Dean was possessed. Did he see the knife?"

"Wait. Go back a second. You think a ghost was possessed? By what?"

"I'll get back to you on that. Did Dean see the knife that the ghost stabbed him with?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't think so."

"Find out for sure, and let me know. This could be bad."

"Isn't it always?"

"This could be worse."

"Great," Bobby said sarcastically. "One more thing, Liz, I know you called Sam and Dean. Sam tried to trace the number back and find out who called him."

"Oh, please, Bobby, that was, like, four phones ago."

"I know. I also know why you called. I would've done the same thing in your situation. Unfortunately, you've put us all at risk, so I can't risk sending you to open the Seattle branch. You can see Linda in July like we planned."

Liz knew it wouldn't do any good to cry, even though she suddenly felt the urge. "Okay, I understand. I bet her kids are getting big, especially Jaden. It's been almost a year since I've seen them."

"Has it been that long? Cassie recommended that I move up your trip to Seattle. She said you're getting weaker. I was hoping she was wrong."

"I can make it to July," Liz insisted.

"I'm sure you can, Lindsey, but will you be any good to anybody by then?"

"Cassie exaggerates."

"And you downplay. Where does that leave us?"

Liz sighed. "With me visiting Linda before July," she admitted. "I love visiting her and Josh and the kids, but I would rather it be for another reason than that I'm getting weaker and need her to treat me so that I can keep functioning."

"I've always got my ear to the ground listening for any new information on a cure."

"I know you do, Bobby. Thank you." She paused, and it was pregnant with emotion. "So, Dean's okay, right?"

"As good as new, actually. I'd ask what you did, but something tells me that I don't want to know. Do I need to?"

Liz hesitated. "I called Jason."

"Liz!" It sounded like a curse.

"I know what you're going to say, but—"

"There are no words, Lindsey. I've got to work on this immediately. They've got a head start on me. Who knows what they've been up to?"

"So, I'm staying in Japan, huh?"

"Well, that depends. Tell me straight, Lindsey: how long do you think you can last without a treatment?"

Liz mulled it over. "I don't know. A few months at least."

"Would it help if I lifted the charm off of Dean and you could have more direct access to him?"

Liz thought about that. "No, if anything, I think that would make it harder. I'm pretty sure that I would have to expend so much energy keeping him out of my head that it would negate any good effects."

"Do you think you can get in and out of Seattle before Tom and his camp know you're there?" Bobby wondered.

"I can try."

"Then do it. Hopefully they haven't had enough time to trace your steps."

"That call dead-ends in Russia," Liz reassured Bobby. "Natasha Ivanovna Pushkin vanished into thin air in Moscow. She's untraceable."

"They'll still try, Lindsey. I'd prefer to have you tucked away as strong as can be. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure, Bobby, you know me."

"That's what worries me," Bobby chided.

"I'm not going to do anything risky. You know I wouldn't do anything to put Linda or her family in harm's way."

"I know, but you might do it without meaning to."

"Just by being me, you mean."

"You're the one who got Jason involved."

Liz worried her bottom lip. "Dean would be dead if I hadn't."

Bobby sighed. "I'm not scolding you, Lindsey. What's done is done. Let's just deal with the aftermath, okay?"

"Alright."

"Just go to Seattle and get well."

"I will. Bye, Bobby."

"Bye, Lindsey. Take care of yourself. I'll call in a few days when I've figured out our next step."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Liz closed the phone and started making arrangements.

XXX

Linda threw her arms around Liz. "It's so good to see you! How have you been? You know I always worry about you when you're on assignment."

Liz shrugged. "Well, you know, I've been alright, I guess. Dean almost died, so it hasn't been the best month ever. Sandy died. Steven died. It's getting pretty rough out there."

Linda waved away Liz's gloom. "You're always such a ray of sunshine," she teased with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, there's not a lot to be happy about right now," Liz replied.

Linda's smile caved a little. "I'm trying to be upbeat, okay? Bobby told me about Sandy, and I'm really sorry. It's…well, I'm really scared, to tell the truth. I'm worried about what Tom will do next."

Liz wrapped an arm around Linda. "It'll all be okay," she promised.

Linda laughed, and a sly smile slid onto her face. "Have you met anyone since the last time I saw you?" she wondered.

Liz rolled her eyes. "I've met lots of people since then."

Linda laughed. "But have you met anyone you want to have smoochy time with?"

Liz smiled despite herself. "I don't have to take this, you know."

"You do if you want my help," Linda reminded her with a teasing grin.

Liz rolled her eyes again. "How's Josh?"

"Busy."

"How're the kids?"

"Little monsters. Mitchell and Sophie are giving me a preview of what the angsty teen years will be like. Mitchell is suddenly obsessed with girls, and Sophie's decided to be a complete drama queen about everything. Isabelle is Isabelle. Enough said. Chris has anointed himself the girls' protector. It'd be cute except he picks fights with much older boys and gets his ass handed to him. Jodi has shot up like a weed. I don't know if you'll even recognize her. Jaden is walking now if you can believe it. It's amazing how quickly they grow up."

"Yeah, time flies."

Linda glanced down, suddenly shy. "We're thinking of having another."

Liz's eyebrows rose of their own accord. "Six is not enough?"

Linda shrugged. "Well, we thought Jaden was going to be the last, but she's been so wonderful that we've started to rethink that position."

"You have the money to afford another kid, so if you want another one, go for it."

"You think?"

"It's not my decision, Linda."

"I know, but your opinion matters to me."

Liz steeled herself for Linda's reaction to what she was about to say. "If you're asking my opinion, then I think you should wait."

"Wait!?!" Linda repeated, voice hard and upset.

Liz sighed. "It's just that there's some major crap on the horizon, and I think that being pregnant through it will make it a hell of a lot harder for you to keep yourself and your family safe. Plus, you're in your late thirties. I'm not saying that's old, but it's a little old to be running around fighting armies with a baby in your stomach."

Liz looked at Linda's dilated pupils and knew she'd scared her. "Do you really think it's going to come to that, Liz—ndsey?" she wondered.

Liz nodded. "I do. And sooner rather than later."

"Is it your fault?" There was no accusation in the question, just honest curiosity.

"Probably."

Linda hugged Liz to her. "Let's get you feeling better, okay? I'd like to have you as strong as possible when the shit hits the fan."

"That's what Bobby said. Well, not exactly like that, but that was the gist of what he said."

"Bobby's a smart man."

Liz turned worried eyes on Linda. "I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to stop this, Linda. The signs are aligning and spelling doom."

"You've been here before. You managed that okay."

"That's just it, Linda. No one has ever been here before. We're talking epic evil on the horizon. Millions and millions dead. I don't think I can stop it."

Linda smiled as convincingly as she could. "You'll stop it, Lindsey. You're smarter than Tom. He'll never know what hit him."

"I hope you're right."

"I usually am."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_One Week Later  
__Bobby's House_

"I know you're itching to hunt, Dean, but don't you think you should let yourself recover a bit? You've already pulled your stitches twice since you checked yourself out of the hospital."

Dean scowled at Bobby. "Barrister Enterprises isn't going to wait for me to get back to 100% before they come at me again."

"True, but they will use any mistakes you make against you. You're hurt, so you're more likely to make mistakes. I need you here training the girls."

"I want to hunt. I don't want to be cooped up training the girls right now."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Dean, but hunters aren't exactly a dime a dozen, especially these days. You helping me train more of them is the best thing you can do to help in the fight. You're great with the girls, and they listen to you."

"I don't want to train right now. I want to be out there doing something. Sam's already been on a job since I got back."

Bobby gave Dean a look. "Sam doesn't have a gaping hole in the side of his torso."

"I knew you'd bring that up again. I'm fine, Bobby. I can fight."

Bobby shook his head unhappily. "I was hoping I could make you come around so that this would be your decision. It'd be so much easier on everyone if I didn't have to make you stay here. I can tell that's what I'm gonna have to do, though. Dean, you're training the girls. You're not going out on a job. That's final."

Dean stared at Bobby, jaw ticking angrily. "Is that an order?"

"It is."

"And you just expect me to follow it?"

"You'll do what I say, Dean. I've no doubt about that. You don't want to find out what happens when you cross me."

"We'll see about that."

"I guess we will."

XXX

_Another Week Later_

"What did you do wrong, Aly?" Dean asked.

The girl indicated looked up from where she'd been knocked flat on her back and shrugged.

"Anyone else?" Dean questioned. "What about you, Brenda? Did you see what Aly did wrong?"

Brenda was examining her fingernails with a bored expression on her face. "She died," she replied without looking up.

Dean glanced around and noticed most of the girls weren't even paying attention. He sighed. "Alright. Let's call it a day," he said.

"But," Katy protested, "half of us haven't even fought yet."

"I'm tired," Dean replied. "Bobby's worried I'll pull my stitches again if I try too much. Plus, I don't really feel like being here."

"Then take us on a hunt with you. We'd get some real experience, and you could be doing what you want to."

"You're not ready to go on hunts," Dean insisted.

"You could take us on a hunt for something that's not too dangerous. It'd be like hunting for beginners."

"There's no such thing as a safe hunt," Dean told her in a severe voice.

"Even when we're with you?" Katy asked sweetly. "I think you could handle Lucifer himself."

Dean shrugged. "I don't know about Lucifer, but a run of the mill ghost got the best of me just a few weeks ago."

Katy sighed. "Don't you have anything we could do? It's so boring here. We feel like we're drowning. Bobby treats us like we're little kids. It drives us crazy."

"So, you're speaking for the group now, huh?" Dean asked, trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement.

"Well, they aren't going to speak for themselves, so I guess someone has to."

Dean wavered. "I'm not taking you hunting, so what else is there to do?"

Katy smiled like the cat that ate the canary. "You could take us to C-bar with you. I know Ellen would never let us into her bar, but you could probably get us into the other place."

Dean shook his head. "You girls get me into more trouble," he scolded lightly. He thought about it and caved. "Fine, but if so much as one of you does something I don't think is appropriate, we're all coming home. Got it?"

Katy smiled. "Got it," she said. She looked around at the other girls expectantly.

"Got it," they reiterated.

XXX

Katy watched Dean from across the table. The other girls had gone off to flirt with other guys, leaving Dean open for the taking.

"So, are you feeling okay?" she asked. "I heard that you left the hospital early against your doctor's advice. You seem fine to me, though."

Dean's gaze slid over to Katy. "I _am_ fine. It was a stupid thing to do, but I'm fine."

"Of course you are. Doctors don't know what they're talking about half the time."

"Sam and Bobby didn't quite see it that way."

"Well, I think it was brave. A real testament to how strong you are."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, that, or a testament to how stupid I am."

Katy furrowed her eyebrows the slightest bit. This was not going how she wanted, so she tried a different tactic. "So, why's Bobby all up in your grill? You're the best hunter he's got, so why won't he let you hunt?"

Dean sized her up. "Katy, why are you sitting here talking to me when you could be over there with your friends having fun? Surely you don't want to waste your time with me. I'm an old man compared to you."

Katy glanced at the other girls. "I'd rather talk to you. Boys my age are just so…immature."

Dean barked out a laugh before he could catch himself. "And you think I'm not? That's funny, Katy."

"What?" Katy demanded huffily. "You are hot and strong and a hunter. You've got all the qualities I look for in a man."

"I'm nearly twice your age."

"Some women like older men," Katy rebutted.

Dean sighed. "Katy, I'm gonna go to the bathroom now, and when I come back, I think you should be over there with your friends enjoying your night."

Katy glared at him. "You can't make me go away just because you want your life to be uncomplicated."

"Yeah, I can," Dean said and stood and headed to the bathroom. When he came out, Katy was waiting for him. She pushed him back against the wall and kissed him.

Dean forced himself to keep his mouth closed and not respond even though he desperately wanted to. He gently shoved Katy away. "Katy, don't do that again."

Katy licked her lips. "Why not?"

Dean ignored her tongue running across her lips. "Because I said so."

Katy pouted. "But…"

"Katy, we can't do this. You're a very pretty girl, and in another situation or another life, I'd be jumping at the chance to take what you're offering. As it is, I can't do this with you. I'm sorry."

Katy looked like she was going to cry, but she managed not to. "You'll change your mind," she said with conviction. "Give it some time, and you'll come crawling after me." She left him and went to join the rest of the girls.

Dean watched her go and sighed. Nothing like dealing with a schoolgirl crush to make him feel old. He took stock of his condition and determined he was fine to drive, so he pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the girls.

"Let's go," he told them.

"Ah, Dean, it's early. Can't we stay just a little bit longer?" Madison begged, giving him puppy dog eyes for good measure.

"It's almost one," he reminded her. "The bar'll be closing before too long. Let's go."

"It'll be closing in over an hour," Shaniqua whined. "Please let us stay."

Katy rolled her eyes at the other girls. "Dean told us to go, so let's go."

Aly got in Katy's face. "Who appointed you queen of the world?" she asked.

Dean pushed himself between the two girls. "I don't feel like messing with this crap," he told them. "I'm going home now. If anyone else wants to go home, you can ride with me. We took more than one vehicle, so the rest of you can come home later. Enjoy your night, ladies."

"Really?" Brenda asked, surprised. She got an excited look on her face.

"I could care less. Do what you want."

"I'll ride with you," Katy told him.

Dean wanted to say no but didn't know how to without making it into a big deal. "Fine. Any other takers?"

The rest of the girls avoided looking at him.

"Well, that's just great," he muttered to himself. Audibly, he said, "Okay, then let's head home, Katy. The rest of you had better be back to Bobby's by six. Don't make me come find you."

The girls nodded their understanding then went back to what they were doing before Dean had interrupted them.

Katy gave him an eager look. "Ready to go?"

Dean took a deep breath. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked.

She grinned. "I have a few suggestions."

Dean gave her a severe look. "I can leave you here," he reminded her.

"You don't have to do that," Katy huffed. "I'll be good. Promise."

She followed him to the Impala and waited for him to open the door for her. He unlocked it but that was it. She tried to hide her disappointment as she opened the door herself and crawled into the car.

When she was seated, she pulled her arms around herself and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "Brr, it's cold in here. Can I borrow your jacket?"

Dean took in her shivering form, clad in a sparkly tank top and jeans before answering, "No."

She looked surprised. "But, I'm cold," she protested.

Dean shrugged. "Then you should've worn more clothing."

Katy's jaw dropped. "Are you really not going to give me your jacket?"

Dean rolled his eyes and got out of the Impala. He walked around to the trunk and dug around in it. He found what he was looking for after a moment and slammed the trunk closed. He got back into the car and tossed a dark piece of clothing at Katy.

"There you go," Dean told her.

Katy held the cloth like it was radioactive. "What's this?"

"One of Sam's shirts that he left in my car."

"It's got pearl buttons on it."

Dean laughed. "You said you were cold. Beggars can't be choosers."

"You could wear the shirt, and I could wear the jacket," Katy suggested hopefully.

Dean laughed again. "Like I would be caught dead in that shirt," he told her. "Try again, Katy."

Katy crossed her arms unhappily and looked out the window. "I'll just tough it out," she pouted.

XXX

When they got back to Bobby's, Katy headed for the building that served as a dormitory for her and the other girls without even stopping to tell Dean goodnight.

Dean watched her go with a worried look then went to find Bobby. He found him in what he referred to as 'Defcon One.' He was sorting through a pile of papers and mumbling to himself.

"Whatcha doing, Bobby?" Dean wondered.

Bobby glanced up briefly then went back to shuffling through the papers. "Going over reports I received this week. Sometimes it sucks being the leader."

Dean pulled up a chair. "Anything I can help with?" he asked.

Bobby thought about it for a moment then grabbed a pile of papers. "See if anything in this stack looks legit."

"Okay."

Dean started reading. After about ten minutes of that, he put the papers down and fidgeted in his chair.

Bobby cleared his throat and gave him an annoyed look. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked.

Dean ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah. I don't know what I'm going to do about Katy."

"Katy?" Bobby's voice was wary. "I'm not going to like what you're about to say. I can already tell."

"Probably not," Dean admitted.

Bobby rubbed his temples. "What happened, Dean?"

Dean avoided answering the question. "That Katy, she could charm the devil, huh?"

Bobby looked increasingly concerned. "Just as long as she's not charming you."

Dean got an offended look on his face. "She's nineteen, Bobby."

"And that should reassure me, why exactly?" Bobby wondered.

Dean opened his mouth to respond then closed it and nodded. "Fair enough, Bobby. I told her no."

"Glad to hear it. Let's keep it that way."

"Still…"

"Don't finish that thought, Dean," Bobby warned him. "Anyone with a set of eyes can tell that Katy's got a crush on you. Hell, I'd say at least half if not all of the girls have a crush on you. That doesn't mean it's okay for you to do anything about it."

"I hadn't planned on it, Bobby. I'm just saying—"

"Well, don't. Don't even let yourself think about it. I want to be right about assigning the girls to you. Keep thoughts like that out of your head."

"You're right, Bobby. I shouldn't even think about it. It's hard when a beautiful woman has herself pressed against you and is offering you a night to remember."

"Dean, think long and hard about whether you feel you can trust yourself around Katy right now," Bobby said. His research was forgotten as he watched Dean with a look of open concern on his face.

"I told her no, Bobby," Dean reminded him angrily. "I can say no to a woman."

"You just usually don't," Bobby said. "Everything I've seen tells me that Katy can be relentless. Do you think you can withstand her advances?"

Dean laughed humorlessly. "I couldn't do anything about it right now, even if I wanted to. Having a big, giant knife stuck in your side kind of makes physical activity a bitch for awhile."

"Dean, this isn't a joke."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that. Katy was bold enough to kiss me in a public place. She's definitely got it on her mind that nothing's going to stop her."

"That could be a problem."

"You're right; it could."

"I think you should limit your time alone with her for the time being."

"That's probably a good idea. She's the one that's going to have the problem with that, though."

A car came up the driveway then, breaking Bobby and Dean from their discussion.

"It's probably the rest of the girls," Dean guessed. "I told them to be home before six."

Bobby glanced at the security monitors. "Not unless they stole a cop car," he said.

Dean looked up at the monitor in alarm. "What could the police want with us?" he wondered.

Bobby looked very tired as he stood up and slid a knife into his back pocket. "I guess we better go find out."

Dean grabbed a gun and followed Bobby out of the room. "I'll get the door. You go out the back and swing around."

Bobby nodded his agreement and slipped out the back door.

Dean started toward the front door. The doorbell rang while he was on his way there, causing him to tense. He continued to the door and pulled it open. A couple of men in police uniforms were standing on the other side. One was a tall white man, the other a shorter Hispanic man.

"Can I help you with something?" Dean asked.

The taller of the officers nodded. "Are you Dean Winchester?"

Dean nodded, trying to figure out what was going on. "Yeah. Why do you want to know?"

"We need you to come with us."

Dean took a step back into the house. "Why?"

The other officer held up a warrant. "You are under arrest for the murder of one Elizabeth Barrister, a.k.a. Liz Barrister." The officer started into the Miranda rights' statement, but Dean was no longer listening. Everything seemed to switch into slow motion as the taller officer started handcuffing him.

All Dean could think was that this was a surreal dream, and he would soon wake up.

XXX

"What are we going to do, Bobby?" Dean wondered. "If I go to jail, I'm a sitting duck. In fact, right now I'm a sitting duck."

"Your attorney feels that the judge is not going to grant bail in this case. You know what that means, right?"

Dean nodded. "It means that I'm going to die in that crappy cell I've been stuck in for the last few days."

Bobby gave Dean a scolding look. "I'm working on getting some protection amulets through security. So far, this place has been pretty strict on what they allow in."

Dean snorted. "I wonder why," he said sarcastically. "It couldn't possibly be because Tom has everyone in this place in his back pocket."

"You gotta stay positive, Dean," Bobby told him. "I know that it doesn't look good right now, but I'm working on it."

"Well, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Dean replied. His voice was thick with sarcasm.

"We're going to get through this," Bobby insisted. "You'll see."

"I don't understand, Bobby. Liz has been dead for five years, so why did they wait 'til now to have me arrested?"

Bobby shrugged. "I don't know. There isn't a statute of limitations on murder, though, so they could have waited another ten years and still had you arrested. Why they chose this particular moment in history is beyond me. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, though. Until then, I have three hunters on an around the clock watch of the building. I put up as many wards and protections as I could. Hopefully it'll be enough to hold off whatever they've got planned. I'm still working on getting something past security."

Bobby's phone rang, and he glanced down at the caller id distractedly. He took a step away from Dean before he answered the call.

"Hello," he greeted with a cautious note in his voice. He listened for a moment then sighed.

"I'm handling it," he replied in a clipped tone. He glanced at Dean and turned his back to him when he realized that he was listening intently to the conversation.

"I said I'm handling it," Bobby insisted. "Don't do anything stupid. We can talk about this later, Lindsey. I'm in the middle of something right now."

Bobby glanced at Dean. "Goodbye, Lindsey," he said and hung up.

When Bobby turned around, Dean was watching him thoughtfully.

"Who was that?" Dean asked.

Bobby remained calm. "An overeager hunter wanting to prove herself," he explained.

Dean's eyebrows furrowed. "You said her name was Lindsey, right?"

Bobby nodded. "Right."

"Have I met her before? Sandy mentioned a friend named Lindsey. She was under the impression that we'd…" Dean trailed off as he realized what he was about to say to Bobby about one of his hunters. "…met," he finished lamely.

Bobby looked amused at Dean's attempt to cover what he was going to say. "Well, if you've met her, it's news to me. That doesn't mean you haven't, though."

"Is she another Cassie?" Dean wondered. "Am I going to keep asking and asking to meet her and keep getting the runaround, or is this someone I can actually meet face to face?"

Bobby sat down across from Dean and tried to steer the conversation away from Lindsey. "I think we should focus on getting you out of prison before we worry about contacting my hunters to, uh, 'meet,'" he suggested with a smirk.

"I just hadn't heard of this Lindsey chick until Sandy mentioned her. Now you're talking to her. It seemed like a weird coincidence, that's all," Dean explained a little sheepishly.

Bobby shrugged. "It may be less of one than you think. Lindsey's in a tizzy over Sandy's death, and she's gonna get herself hurt in her quest for revenge. She's letting her emotions get the best of her. I've tried to talk to her about it, but she thinks I'm trying to hold her back. Sound like anyone else we know?"

Dean glared at Bobby. "I can't get myself hurt. I'm locked in a tiny cell, remember?"

"I remember," Bobby assured him. "Let's hope we can keep you alive long enough to get you out of it."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Liz was in Berlin when she first heard the news that Dean had been arrested. She had CNN turned on as background noise in case they mentioned Barrister Enterprises. She glanced at the screen and felt her heart catch when a picture of Dean flashed onto the screen. She fumbled with the remote in her haste to turn up the volume.

The newscaster read the report in a grave voice:

"The man you see on your screen is Dean Winchester. He was arrested earlier today for the murder of Elizabeth Barrister, daughter of Frank Barrister, founder of the illustrious Barrister Enterprises. Elizabeth and her brother, Thomas, gained a controlling interest in Barrister Enterprises when their father was brutally murdered more than five years ago. Now Thomas is claiming that Elizabeth was killed less than a month after their father by a man with no known ties to Elizabeth or the Barrister family.

"The twist in this case is that no body has been found as of yet, and there is no evidence that Elizabeth is even missing, much less that she has been murdered. She has never been reported missing and has a current address listed. Sources at Barrister Enterprises tell us that as recently as three months ago, a ballot was cast in Elizabeth's name regarding a stock issue.

"Authorities have been tight-lipped on the investigation, saying only that the evidence gathered is compelling enough to warrant an indictment of first-degree murder. They have refused to comment on what exactly that evidence is, however, and it may be weeks before news outlets are privy to any further information. The DA has promised to push this case through as quickly as possible and is considering seeking capital punishment. He hopes to have a scheduling order in place by the end of next week and a trial date within the next six months. Those familiar with the American judicial system know that it is unheard of for a high-profile case such as this to move through the system so quickly.

"The closed nature of these proceedings already has some crying conspiracy. Conspiracy or no, this case has certainly been handled in a bizarre fashion. Questions abound. Why did Thomas wait five years to claim his sister was dead? If she is dead, who has been masquerading as her all these years? If she is alive, where is she, and why has she not come forward to clear an innocent man? Only time will provide answers to these questions. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available."

Liz was on the phone dialing Jason the second the newscast ended.

"You son of a bitch," she said before he could say hello.

"Well, hello to you," Jason replied cheerfully.

"You had Dean arrested! You son of a bitch."

"Yeah? Well, you said you would come out of hiding. You didn't. Now we're even."

"Even? We're not even close, Jason. You had Dean arrested for murder! For _my_ murder! He's in jail!"

"My connections can ensure that that doesn't change. I can make sure that he goes to prison for life. We might even get the death penalty. That is assuming he makes it that long. Prison can be a dangerous place, you know." Jason laughed. "Come on, Liz, you've got to admit that it's pretty impressive what I can do. Ready to come out and play yet?"

"You son of a bitch," Liz repeated dejectedly.

"You're sounding like a broken record, Liz."

"Why would you do this, Jason?"

There was a long pause before Jason answered. "Tom has my daughter, Liz," he told her anxiously. "He's starting to think that I lied about you being alive. I didn't see much of a choice but to force your hand."

"I told you that I would come out of hiding, and I will. You just have to give me time."

"I'm sorry, Liz. Time is the one thing I can't give you. Dean will suffer until you show yourself."

"I'm sorry that it has to be this way, Jason," Liz said mournfully.

"Me, too," Jason agreed. "See you soon."

Liz hung up and called Bobby.

"I caught the news. What the hell is going on, Bobby?"

"I'm handling it," Bobby replied in a clipped tone.

"Handling it?" Liz repeated dubiously. "The news said that they are trying him for murder one. I won't let Dean go to jail or worse over this."

"I said that I'm handling it," Bobby repeated. "Don't do anything stupid. We can talk about his later, Lindsey. I'm in the middle of something right now."

"Is he with you?" Liz asked. Her heart leapt into her throat at the thought.

"Goodbye, Lindsey," Bobby said and hung up on her.

Liz stared at the phone for a minute, trying to get her racing heart under control, then dialed her brother's number.

"Tom Barrister."

"Let Dean go," Liz demanded.

Tom laughed. "Well, if it isn't my baby sis come back from the dead. How have you been, sis?"

"Cut the crap, Tom."

"I see you finally got the news. Ready to come home yet? I noticed the number. Isn't that Germany's country code? You could be home in twelve hours if you just said the word."

"Screw you, Tom," Liz told him.

"That's a little kinky, sis," Tom replied with a laugh.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Let Dean go, and I'll come to you."

Tom laughed humorlessly. "How about this, Liz? You don't tell me what to do, and I won't kill that waste of space you call a husband. There we go. It's a win-win situation."

"What do you want, Tom?" Liz asked tiredly.

"I thought I wanted Dean's head on a platter, but Jason convinced me that you would be less likely to bow to my will if I did that. I'm settling for putting him in an itty bitty cell for the rest of his natural life."

Liz had known that this call would be pointless and regretted having made it. "I'll see you in court, Tom," she said and hung up. She took the battery out of the phone she was using and tossed it into the trash.

She pulled out another phone and dialed a number that she read off a sheet she had in her pocket. The phone rang twice.

"Hello?" Cassie answered, unsure of who was calling.

"Cassie, it's Lindsey. I know that I don't deserve your help, but I need a favor."

"Lindsey? Where did you get my number? I thought Bobby wouldn't let us talk to one another anymore."

Liz cringed and took a deep breath. "That's ridiculous, Cassie. _I_ wouldn't let us talk to one another. I thought you needed a clean break." Liz rushed ahead. "So, what do you say? Do you want to do one more job together?"

Cassie wasn't going to be so easily won. "What kind of job?" she asked.

Liz knew that she had Cassie even if Cassie did not. "The dangerous kind," Liz replied. "The kind that will piss off Barrister Enterprises."

Cassie smiled. "Those are the magic words, Lindsey. What do you need me to do?"

Liz breathed a sigh of relief. "Did I ever show you a picture of Tom's fiancée?" she wondered.

"Tom has a fiancée!?! You mean someone actually agreed to marry that pile of crap."

"Yes. I'm sure you'll find this hard to believe, but he's absolutely smitten with her. Always has been."

"Tom knows how to feel something other than hate?"

Liz laughed. "Apparently. She's just as over the moon about him. They're like a super evil Bonnie and Clyde."

"Okay. That's disturbing. Moving on. What about the fiancée?"

Liz hesitated. "I have a plan to get at Tom that involves getting at Marisa. Well, I have an idea for a plan. It would require you and Alex to help me."

"I'm listening."

"Good. I'll get back to you with what I'm thinking. I'll send it through the dog."

"Don't do that. Star tree would be better."

"Star tree it is then. Later, gator."

Liz could tell Cassie was smiling. "Goodbye, Lindsey."

A grin broke onto Liz's face as she hung up. Her phone started ringing and she looked to see who was calling. Her face fell when she realized it was Bobby.

"Bobby, hey," she greeted. "I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you back?"

"No."

"What's up?"

"You switched phones."

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?"

"It had been a while since I'd changed," Liz said flippantly. "Can never be too careful, you know."

"That's probably a good idea," Bobby admitted. "Listen, I'm calling because I need to know what you told Sandy about you and Dean."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Nothing."

"Lindsey, I need to know."

"Alright, fine. I told her that we share a supernatural bond that can't be broken and that only a combination of self-control, charms, and amulets were keeping him from being able to see into my head. She guessed the rest."

Bobby ground his teeth together. "Lindsey, cut the crap. What did you tell Sandy about you and Dean?"

There was a long pause before Liz answered him. "Nothing. Well, I mean, nothing that could trace back to me even if she blabbed."

"Oh, really? Dean wanted to know if he'd met you. He said that Sandy mentioned you to him and thought that you had…hooked up."

"Hooked up? Really? I didn't think I'd ever hear you use the term 'hook up,' Bobby."

"This isn't a joke. What did you tell her?"

"Nothing!" Liz insisted. "She, Cassie, and I were all drunk one night and exchanging hunting stories. I might have mentioned that I ran into Dean once and spent the night with him."

"That's it?"

"That's it. I swear. He was nothing more than a one night stand to Lindsey Nightingale."

Bobby sighed in relief. "I can deal with that. How have you been?"

"Well, the German people have been characteristically warm. I've made quite a few friends here."

"Lindsey." There was an edge to Bobby's voice.

Liz sighed. "I'm fine, Bobby. I've been feeling stronger ever since I got back from Seattle. The nosebleeds have stopped."

"Nosebleeds?"

"Did I forget to mention those?" Liz said. "Yeah, well, I was having some pretty severe nosebleeds before I went back to Seattle. I haven't had any since."

Silence answered Liz.

"Bobby?" she prompted.

He cleared his throat several times before answering. When he finally spoke, he was a little choked up. "Nosebleeds, huh? That can't be good."

Liz took a shaky breath and clasped her hands together to stop their shaking. "I know. Honestly, I'm scared, Bobby. I keep telling myself it's gonna be okay, though."

"You'd better tell me before it gets that bad again."

"I promise, Bobby."

"Are you sleeping?"

"I don't want to talk about this, Bobby. I need to let you know that I'm leaving Germany, though."

Bobby laughed humorlessly. "You called Jason again, didn't you? That's why you switched phones."

"Yeah. I called Tom, too."

Bobby sighed. "I'm not going to yell, Lindsey. I'm tired. Too tired to fight about this, and I know it wouldn't do any good anyway because you wouldn't listen. Let me just say this, though: you need to remember why we did what we did. We've gone five years without even a hint of who you are getting out, and now, in the span of a few weeks, everything has started to unravel. Go to your next assignment and stay there. Let me handle the situation with Dean. I've got everything under control."

"You say you have everything under control, and I'm going to believe you for now."

"I want to hear you say that you're going to stay put, Lindsey."

"I gotta go, Bobby," Liz replied.

"Don't you dare hang up on me!" Bobby yelled.

The line remained open as Liz continued to listen to Bobby.

"Lindsey, don't do anything stupid, please. Just let me handle this."

Liz took awhile to answer. "Okay. I'll stay put for now. I can't make any promises about later on, though. I'm sorry, Bobby."

"I'm sending Roy to meet you."

"What!?! No. I won't go meet him."

"You will, too, Lindsey. So help me, you will, too."

"Why would you send _him_?"

"Because I obviously can't control you. I'm hoping he'll have more luck. He'll be in tomorrow. I'll text you his flight information."

"Fine," Liz huffed.

"You did this to yourself, Lindsey."

Liz heaved a sigh. "I know, Bobby. I'll be at the airport waiting."

XXX

"I like the new digs," Jason told Dean as he glanced around Dean's cell. "It suits you."

"Did you come all this way just to gloat?" Dean asked. He remained seated but was coiled to spring at a moment's notice.

"Why else would I be here?" Jason asked. "It's my job to observe the situation and make sure you don't try to make a break for it."

Dean glared at him. "I'm sure you can do that from somewhere other than where I have to sleep," he said.

Jason smiled. "Fair enough. I'll leave you alone. Take care of yourself, Dean."

As Jason walked out of the cell, something fell out of his pocket.

"You dropped something," Dean called after him.

Jason looked down at the charm on Dean's floor. "Why don't you keep it for me?" he suggested and walked down the hall.

Dean tried to swallow down his fear as he stared at the charm. He wanted to move it, but he was afraid to touch it.

When he was called to the visitation room to see Bobby, Dean finally got up the nerve to grab the charm. He used his shirt to pick it up off the floor and kept it surrounded by cloth so that he wouldn't have to touch it.

He waited until he and Bobby were alone before showing it to him. "Jason paid me a visit and dropped this in my cell. Think you can get rid of it for me?"

Bobby grabbed the charm from Dean. "_Jason_ dropped this in your cell!?!" he asked.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, what is it?"

Bobby kept inspecting it. "A very powerful protection charm. It took some serious magic to make this. I guess him being in love with Liz came in handy after all, huh?"

Dean shrugged. "I'd still kick his ass if I got the chance."

"Maybe you should thank him first. This charm may keep you alive while you're in here."


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_Three Months Later_

Dean paced back and forth in the visitor's room of the jail. Sam watched him and the frustration that was pouring off of him and wished he could do something to help Dean. Sam could tell that he was about to go stir crazy, but the only thing he could really do was work with Dean's attorney on his case and hope a miracle would happen and Dean would be let go.

"I've been working with your attorney to come up with a defense," Sam told Dean. "On the surface, it seems like it should be an easy case to defend yourself against. They can't produce a body, and we _know_ you didn't kill Liz. Plus, you were in another state when she died. Unfortunately, we can't prove that because there's no death certificate for Liz because technically Delores Hill died that day in the hospital. Liz was cremated, so there's no body to dig up and do a DNA test on. They can't really prove she's dead, but we obviously can't prove she isn't. That's bad news for us because they did produce a witness that has some damaging evidence."

Dean stopped pacing. "How bad is it, Sam? Tell me straight up."

"The DA won't consider a plea bargain."

Dean looked upset. "You've been trying to plea bargain!?! I didn't kill Liz, and I won't say that I did."

Sam held up his hands. "No. And it's not that we would plea bargain, but it's a bad sign that the DA isn't offering us anything. It means they think they have their case won. Well, it's more than thinking. They know they have the case sewn up."

"Bobby?"

"Doesn't have a plan. He says he does, but I'm pretty sure he's just buying time hoping he comes up with something."

Dean sat back in his chair with a defeated sigh. When he spoke, his voice was thick with barely controlled emotion. "So, I'm pretty definitely going to prison is what you're saying." He cleared his throat, and the emotion left his voice. "I can deal with that. I don't guess I have much of a choice."

"We're working on it," Sam said, "but it's kind of hard to play against a stacked deck."

"You've done everything you can, Sam. I don't blame you for this, so you shouldn't blame yourself. I'm just glad that my attorney is letting you help him with the case."

Sam nodded then rubbed his face tiredly. "In different circumstances, it might be kind of fun to carry water on a case like this," he admitted. He fidgeted in his chair for another moment, gathering his courage to tell Dean the next thing he wanted to. "There's something else I need to talk to you about, Dean, and you're not going to like it."

"If it's worse than hearing that I'm probably going to prison for life, then it must be bad."

Sam smiled halfheartedly at Dean's joke. "I'm going to ask Lauren to marry me," he told Dean.

Dean stared at him without saying anything.

"Say something, Dean. You're my brother, and I'd really like you on board with this."

Dean was clearly thrown for a loop. "Congratulations, Sam," he managed to get out.

"I know you don't like her very much, but—"

"I'm happy for you, Sam. You love her, and that's good enough for me."

Sam broke into a relieved grin. "Thank you, Dean."

Dean nodded, trying very hard to bury his unhappiness at the thought of Lauren marrying Sam.

XXX

Liz's knee bounced impatiently as she waited for Cassie to pick up her phone.

"Hello?" Cassie finally answered.

"Hey. Did you check out the stuff I sent you?" Liz asked quietly.

"Why are you whispering?"

"My chaperone's asleep. I'm trying to keep it that way."

"Okay."

"So? What do you think? Does everything sound good to you?"

Cassie hesitated. "Well…I don't like going behind Bobby's back."

"I know you don't, Cass. I respect that. If you think it's something that's a deal breaker for you, then let me talk to Alex. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to."

Cassie sighed. "I never said I wouldn't do it. I just wanted to make my reservations known. The plan is fine," she admitted.

"So, you'll do it?" Liz asked, trying to keep her excitement under control.

There was a long pause. "Yeah, Linds, I'll do it. Alex, too. He gets excited just thinking about it."

"Can I talk to him?"

"Sure. Let me go get him."

"Before you do that, I wanted to ask how things are going between you two."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Well, he hasn't made me crave sausage yet, but he's not as awful as I was afraid he'd be."

"So, you're saying you like him?"

"Well, he has an uncanny ability to get past your defenses. It's not natural."

Liz smiled. "You should ask him about what he did in Reno. It might give you back a little of the upper hand."

"Alright, I will," Cassie promised. "What about you? How are you and your new partner? I can't imagine that Andrew is a wonderful conversationalist."

"Bobby didn't send Andrew. He sent Roy."

"What did you do, Lindsey?" Cassie asked in a shocked voice. "Bobby must have been pissed, whatever it was. Roy's hardcore."

"Tell me about it. He's asleep right now, or I wouldn't even be able to call you. That man needs to lighten up. I'm not even allowed to go to the store by myself."

"That sucks. I know how you need to be alone every once in awhile."

"Yeah, well…can you hand the phone to Alex now?"

Liz could sense the waves of discontent coming off of Cassie. "Sure. Let me go grab him." She held the phone away from her ear as she called Alex. "Alex! Phone!"

Liz could hear noises as the phone was passed off. "What's up, beautiful?" Alex greeted her.

"For all you know, I could have been Bobby," Liz replied.

Liz could tell that Alex was smirking. "Cassie's voice changes when she talks to you."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Liz rolled her eyes. "What do you think of the plan?"

"I think it's awesome, Lindsey. If we pull this off, we're gonna be legendary. I don't know how you got Bobby to go along with this, but I bow at your feet for it."

"About that…Bobby doesn't know. Is that gonna be a problem?"

"You know me, Lindsey," Alex said. "Danger's my middle name."

Liz laughed. "Too bad your last name's stupid, huh?"

"Funny and pretty. Whatever did I do to deserve you, Lindsey Nightingale?"

"Well, there was that time in Lubbock…"

"Shut up."

Liz smiled in amusement. "Listen, I've gotta go, but I'll talk to you soon. My flight leaves in the morning, and I want to review my plan for escaping Roy one more time. I'll call you when I'm back stateside."

"Sounds good. Wanna say goodbye to Cassie?"

"I'd better."

XXX

"All rise. The honorable Judge Blanton presiding."

"Honorable," Dean scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Sam elbowed him. "Stay quiet, Dean."

"Why? We know how this is gonna end."

Sam gave him a disapproving look but didn't scold him further.

The judge came into the courtroom and sat on his bench. Everything went quickly after that. The prosecution presented a surprisingly scant amount of evidence, but what little they did present was pretty damning. Then it was the defense's turn to call their witnesses, and Dean was called to the stand. His attorney, Mr. Flannery, went over Liz's death and the subsequent events, and then it was time for the prosecution to ask their questions.

Tom stood in for the DA. He smirked at Dean's surprise when he was called as co-counsel. "Bet you didn't know that I have a law degree, huh? It was one of the three approved careers my father laid out for me."

He walked to the window and pulled the blinds open so that the swarms of media camped out could be seen. He watched them thoughtfully for a moment. "That media frenzy out there is for you, Dean." He turned back to Dean. "People seem to so love hearing about an attractive psychopath."

"You love to hear yourself talk, don't you?" Dean observed.

Tom glared at Dean. "We'll get down to business if that's what you want. You say that Liz died five years ago on the 18th of July. There is no death certificate for Elizabeth Barrister or Elizabeth Winchester registered anywhere in the United States with that day of death on it. What do you have to say about that?"

Dean's jaw twitched. "Liz died that day, and I'm not going to sit here and listen to you tell me otherwise."

Tom gave Dean a condescending look. "I thought you would be happy at the prospect of her being alive. Interesting."

"You son of a bitch," Dean replied, starting to stand.

The judge banged his gavel. "Son, you need to take a seat and calm yourself."

"Stay calm, my ass," Dean rebutted loudly. "That son of a bitch is saying that Liz is not dead. He's trying to bait me, and it's working."

Tom smiled evilly. "Well, someone has been impersonating her. The company has her address listed as a post office box in a small town in Wyoming. The mail gets picked up. Bills that are sent there get paid. Are you sure you don't want to change your statement, Dean?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Dean looked at Bobby. "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

"None."

This infuriated Tom, and he slapped the table in front of him. "You see, either I am going to prove that my sister is alive, or I am going to prove that you did something to her, Dean. You can make this easy and just tell me why she had to die."

"If anyone killed Liz, it was your bastard of a father," Dean answered, anger lacing his voice.

Tom's eyes narrowed. "Stop playing games with me and tell me the truth, Dean. I know that Liz is alive, so tell me where she is."

"Liz is dead, you bastard."

Tom cocked his head thoughtfully. "You really think that, don't you?" he asked, realization dawning on his face. "Liz kept you completely in the dark on this one."

"Judge, would you please do something about the 'prosecution'?" Dean's attorney asked in a defeated voice. "He's clearly badgering the witness."

The judge banged his gavel and looked at Mr. Flannery. "I'm the judge in this court, so I'd suggest you not tell me what is 'clearly' happening." He looked at Tom. "Continue."

Tom shrugged. "I'm done. This witness has nothing to say that I want to hear," he said. He made a show of walking back to the prosecution's table and propping his feet up on the table with forced casualness.

The judge looked at Dean. "You may step down."

Dean silently took his seat between Mr. Flannery and Sam.

Mr. Flannery took a deep breath to center himself. He knew his client was going to be upset with what he said next. "Your honor, I have a witness who is not on my pre-trial list of witnesses. I would like to ask the court to allow me to call her."

Tom sat up, anticipation gleaming on his face. The judge was unimpressed, however. "Motion denied," he told the attorney.

"Let him call his witness," Tom told the judge.

The judge looked at Tom. "Are you sure?"

Tom turned to Mr. Flannery. "Call your witness."

Mr. Flannery sighed and tried to mentally prepare himself for the hell that was about to break loose. "The defense calls Elizabeth Barrister Winchester to the stand."

Dean grabbed his attorney by his lapels and hauled him to his feet. "You son of a bitch! Are you working with that bastard?" He shook him, hard. "If you are, I will…" Dean trailed off as the door at the back of the court opened and Liz walked in.

She had changed in the years since he had seen her. Her hair was short and blonde. She must have had contacts in because her eyes looked yellow. She was immaculate in a button-down shirt, knee-length skirt, and strappy heels, and she was just as beautiful as Dean remembered.

She strode confidently into the room and focused on Tom. She purposely avoided looking at Dean. "This is highly improper, Tom," she said in a severe tone. "I see the judge is just letting you use his courtroom as your own personal interrogation room. I imagine that is why these are closed proceedings. Now, Tom, here I am. Why don't you cut the crap and leave this poor man alone?" She waved her arm to indicate Dean but still didn't look at him.

Liz walked to the witness stand and sat down, finally gathering up the courage to look at Dean. He was still holding the lapels of his attorney's jacket, but loosely now, and he was staring at Liz, ashen-faced. Liz looked away guiltily.

Tom was enjoying himself now. "What's the matter, Dean? You look like you've seen a ghost," he taunted, relishing Dean's obvious pain.

"Liz?" Dean said her name as a question, filling it with such confusion and pain that it was heartbreaking. He sat down in shock.

"Hello, Dean," Liz answered, voice full of contrition.

"Cheer up," Tom interrupted smugly. "At least you know you won't be facing murder charges now, Dean."

"What is this about, Tom?" Liz asked tiredly. "I'm here. You got what you want, so what is this about?"

Tom smiled. "Where's your kid, Liz? Did you not want him flying to see dear, old dad? You've gone to such links to keep him secret. There must be a reason."

Liz drew her eyes eyebrows together, angry disbelief apparent. "Really, Tom, you cause a media storm to find me because you are imagining little green children? I think you should apologize to everyone here."

"I want to see my nephew," Tom demanded. "No more games."

"I wasn't aware that I was playing any games, dear brother," Liz said angrily. "Why would you think that I have a kid? Did your little Ouija board tell you that? Last I checked, I hadn't talked to you in over five years."

"Don't be coy, Liz," Tom replied. "Dad did a fertility spell on Sam before he turned him loose to have his way with you. Dad was great at stuff like that, so you had to have had his kid."

Liz rolled her eyes. "So this is what this is about? You can't admit that Dad wasn't perfect? I didn't have a kid, you moron," Liz belittled him.

Tom shook his head in disbelief. "That was the whole point in having you sleep with Sam."

Liz laughed humorlessly. "Really? I thought the whole point in me sleeping with Sam was to birth an evil demon into the world."

Tom's jaw ticked in response to Liz's taunting. "That was one objective," he conceded. "However, Dad believed that if anyone could figure out a way around the death clause, it would be you. It was spectacular how you managed that, by the way," Tom told her, glowing with pride and reminding Liz of the father she had killed. "He threw the fertility spell in because he believed in you that much. So you see, I do not believe your denials. You had to have had Sam's child."

"I don't know what to tell you, Tom," Liz replied with an unconcerned shrug. "I feel like you want me to say that I am flattered and touched by Dad's confidence in me, but I'm not. He made me choose between letting Sam die or killing myself by sleeping with him and unleashing a major demon onto this dimension. That he also tried to get me knocked up because he felt positive that I would get around the fact that sleeping with Sam should have killed me doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings towards him. It makes me want to resurrect him so that I can kill him again. Now, Tom, I need for you to walk out of this courtroom and call off your bloodhounds before I destroy your life as badly as your dumb cult has destroyed mine. I never want to hear about you even thinking of messing with any of my friends again. Next time, if you're out for blood, come after mine. Leave Dean out of it."

"Dean? What happened to 'this poor man?'" Tom asked derisively. "You know, I am trying to decide whether it is sweet or pathetic that you still care so very much for him when he has obviously moved on to less frigid venues." He glanced at Jo, who averted her eyes. He smirked. "Oh, yeah, I know about you, honey."

Liz stared at him with open contempt. "Leave her alone."

Tom looked put out. "I am not giving this up, Liz. You had Sam's son, and he will be mine. I will kill everyone you care about before I let you keep me from him."

"I don't know what else to say to prove that I didn't."

"You are lying, Liz!" Tom yelled.

"I am not," she insisted.

Tom considered Liz for a moment and then nodded curtly. "Fine. You say that you don't know what I'm talking about. Are you willing to take a truth potion to prove it?"

Liz looked annoyed. "If that's what it takes to stop this stupid charade," she replied.

Tom pulled a vial of blue liquid out of his pocket. He winked at Liz as he handed it to her. "I know what you're thinking, sis: this was so clever and forward-thinking of me to have this waiting on hand."

Liz took the potion and rolled her eyes at Tom. "That is exactly what I was thinking," she deadpanned then tipped the contents of the vial into her mouth. Her lips curled in distaste as she swallowed the potion down.

"Where's my nephew?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Did you have Sam's son or not?"

"No."

Tom looked confused. "You had to have. It was prophesized."

Liz shrugged. "Well, I didn't."

"You didn't have Sam's kid?"

"How many times do I have to answer that?"

"Then something went wrong," Tom insisted. "Did you actually have sex with Sam?"

Liz stared at him for a moment, then glanced at Sam. She quickly looked away, a deep blush tingeing her cheeks red. She took a deep breath and nodded her head. "Yes," she answered. She purposely kept herself from looking at anyone but Tom.

Tom nodded. "How did you get around the curse? No one but Dad believed you could. I have always wanted to know how you did it." The gleam of anticipation was back in his eyes.

Liz shook her finger at him. "Now, now, Tom, find out for yourself. You know Dad always hated a cheater."

"Dad only hated cheating when others were trying to do it to him. Come on, Liz, tell me. Even Dad seemed impressed that you emerged so...intact," he informed her with relish, smiling smugly at her.

"And you wonder why I don't miss Dad," Liz commented, avoiding answering his question.

"Are you resisting answering me?"

"I don't see the point in dragging all this up again," Liz said.

Tom cocked his head as he considered Liz. "I thought you might need some motivation," he said. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, but you have forced my hand." He signalled to one of his men who were waiting by the courtroom doors. "Have them bring her in."

The man left and came back in a few minutes, prodding a bound and gagged Ellen forward with the barrel of his gun.

"I advise you to answer all of my questions, dear Liz," Tom told her smugly.

"Dean forbade me from telling anyone," Liz replied to buy some time.

"So."

"So I cannot disobey a direct order from him."

Confusion blossomed on Tom's face. "But that is only if..." he trailed off and his eyes lit up in sudden understanding. "Ah, yes. Everything just became a little clearer. I bet you _love_ having to ask permission from your boy."

Tom turned to Dean then. "Dean, free your wife to tell me what I want to know," he demanded.

Liz hazarded a glance at Dean and immediately regretted having done so. He was staring at her with such unadulterated pain that she immediately looked away.

"I don't know what she's talking about," Dean said. Liz flinched at the anguish in his voice. "I never told her she couldn't tell you anything. She can do whatever the hell she wants to. Obviously."

Tom was having fun now. "You have to actually tell her that she is allowed to tell me whatever she pleases to for her to be able to do so," Tom told him with a taunting smile. "It is such a charming system that we have, is it not?"

Liz looked at Dean again and held his gaze. "If you don't want me to tell him anything, then I'll figure something else out," she told him.

Tom crossed his arms. "I think you are forgetting that I have a gun held on someone you hold very dear," he reminded them.

Dean looked defeated. "Tell him what he wants to know, Liz. I don't care."

She looked unhappy as she turned to Tom. "Why don't you let everyone leave?" she asked. "You don't need them. It's me you want."

Her brother's face hardened. "How about you don't tell me what to do, Liz?" he said then smiled maliciously. "What is so bad that you want the B team to leave? Whose face should I be looking at to catch the moment that their heart is ripped out?" He laughed viciously. "The blonde? Dean? Bit of both?"

Liz crossed her arms protectively around herself and did not reply.

Tom smiled predatorily. "I am surprised you care about their feelings," he mused. "But, it only makes it that much sweeter for me that you do. So, tell me now, Liz, how did you escape death?"

She put her head in her hands. "I always have to tell the damn stories," she muttered angrily. She focused on Tom again as she began. "Well, I consummated the bond with Dean then had him name Sam as his surrogate..."

"And how was your first time, Liz?" Tom interrupted. "Was it everything you hoped it would be and more?"

"It was more," Liz replied quietly.

Tom bellowed out a laugh. "You have to say that because Dean is in the room," he pointed out. "What else would you say?"

Liz stared in horrified silence at him. "You're such an ass," she said.

"A brutally honest one, though, unlike a certain sister of mine."

Liz shook her head in denial. "You don't know what you're talking about. I meant what I said. I just took a truth spell, you idiot. I'm not trying to spare Dean's feelings."

Tom feigned a yawn. "Bored now. Can you finish your story already?"

Liz sighed unhappily but continued with her story. "So, Dean named Sam his surrogate, a bitch of a spell, by the way, and then I strengthened the bond between Dean and me. I then had him use his newly acquired control over me to command me to have sex with his brother or he would kill me," Liz explained. Her eyes got a faraway look in them as she revisited the past. "I wasn't even sure that it would work even with all of that." She came back to the present. "But then, we are all here, so it obviously did."

"What happened when you went to Sam?" Tom asked.

Liz visibly shrank in on herself. "I don't want to talk about that."

"I don't care what you want, Liz. I am trying to figure out where Dad went wrong, and I do not care if you are uncomfortable or if everyone in this room is irreparably scarred by what you reveal. The next time that I have to ask you twice to tell me something, I will put a bullet in your friend there."

"You men and your threats," Liz grumbled. "Fine. Okay." She glanced at Sam before continuing.

Sam cut her off. "I'll tell you..." he began.

"Tsk, tsk," Tom said, raising his finger to set the man holding Ellen on alert. Sam stopped talking. "I want her to tell me the gory details."

Liz glared at Tom but started to talk. "I left Dean about an hour before the sun came up. We had Sam chained up in the basement. I went down to him, and he was...the demon was...it was bad. He was almost crazed." She paused a moment as she became lost in things only she could see. "I tried to make things easy for both of us, but the demon did not want things to be easy."

Tom interrupted her again. There was a gleam in his eyes. "What do you mean, 'did not want things to be easy?'"

She paused for a moment, face anguished. Tom did not have to threaten her to begin again, however. "It tied me up and took me somewhere. I don't know where. You'll have to ask Dean and Jo if you want to know. When we got there, it hurt me. Hit me, tied me up, made me kiss it. It prodded me until I fought it so that it could rape me." Her hands were shaking slightly as she finished speaking.

Everyone was silent. Liz glanced at Sam again and then started to rush her words. "It took days, but eventually the demon came out of Sam. I thought that I had done all of this in vain, the way that Sam was screaming. I thought that I had seen a lot and was above being affected by it until then. The demon was horrifying and huge. I couldn't believe that something that big had come out of Sam. There was not a drop of blood on him. I remember thinking then that Sam did not have a drop of blood on him and there was so much on me. I didn't know how that was possible. And then the demon laughed. There was a body in that place. It ate it. It ate the whole body. And I watched because I was afraid of what would happen if I looked away. After it was finished, it turned its attention back to Sam. It picked him up and tossed him on top of me like a rag doll. I couldn't tell if Sam was breathing or not. And then he finally did. Unfortunately, when I was looking at Sam, I wasn't looking at the demon, so I wasn't prepared when it grabbed me and kissed me. It said something over Sam and forced him...back...inside of me because he hadn't..." She trailed off. She looked at Tom. "You do understand what I am saying, don't you?"

"Spell it out for me," Tom insisted.

Liz swallowed audibly then cleared her throat. "Um...he...he had not orgasmed. After that, the demon knocked me out. When I woke up, Sam was...gone. Dean and Jo found me a couple of days later, and here we are today."

"That doesn't make any sense, Liz," Tom said. "Dad did everything right; even the demon played his part. And you still did not get pregnant. I am beginning to seriously doubt your status as Sam's mate."

Liz looked down and cleared her throat. "I guess, maybe, the spells counteracted one another," she told Tom.

"Maybe," he agreed. "It is very curious."

Liz raised her head. She looked sad. "It's also not my problem, Tom. Have a good life. I'm going to go try to pick up the pieces of mine now."

"You are not going anywhere, Liz."

Liz stood up decisively. "Yes, I am, Tom. The press knows that I'm in here. I made sure they saw me before I came in."

"I own the media," Tom rebutted.

Liz shrugged. "You're not going to stop me from walking out of this courthouse. You're not going to stop anyone else from walking out of this courthouse. You're going to let Ellen go, and you're going to apologize to her for having troubled her. You're going to give Dean back that amulet of his that you are wearing to piss him off, and you're then going to apologize to him."

"I am, am I?" Tom answered, clearly amused. "You and I both know that Dean was only bait and that there's no way I'm letting him leave this court room alive. Stop playing tough, Liz, and gather your things and come with me."

Liz smiled wickedly. "You'll do what I say, Tom, because if you don't, I'll kill Marisa," she promised. "You can call her cell and verify my story if you want."

Tom's eyes widened in shock. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He listened to the voice on the other end of the line and went white.

"If you touch one hair on her head…"

"You'll do nothing, Tom," Liz finished for him. She stepped down from the witness stand and strode across the room to stand in front of him. She held her hand out and waited for him to hand over the amulet he was wearing. When he did, she nodded once. "Don't follow me, Tom. I'll let Marisa go when I'm safely on Bobby's property and everyone in this room I care about is there with me."

Tom watched her walk away. "You'll regret this, Liz," he called after her.

Liz looked over her shoulder at him. "We'll see about that."


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I got a new job, so I have less access to the Internet. I'm going to try to post at least a chapter a week.

**Chapter Nine**

"Ms. Barrister!"

"Liz!"

"Ms. Barrister!"

"Elizabeth!"

"Liz!"

"Liz!"

The reporters swarmed around Liz as she left the courthouse. She had removed the contacts she'd been wearing, so she looked more like the Liz that Dean remembered. She seemed unconcerned about the people jostling around her attempting to get a little closer to her. She was too busy watching Dean watch her.

"Liz, why did you wait this long to come forward and exonerate this man?" one reporter asked as he stuck a microphone in her face.

Liz sighed and looked away from Dean. "I only found out about it a few days ago. I had to make arrangements to reenter the country."

"Why did they choose Dean Winchester to blame for your death? Is he the man with whom you were involved when you were arrested for Virginia Downing's murder all those years ago?"

Liz debated whether to answer. "He's my husband," she replied finally. "No more questions."

She pushed her way through the protesting reporters who suddenly had many more questions to ask.

Bobby was waiting on her when she managed to break away from the gang of reporters. He was not happy.

"I told you I had everything under control," he reminded her.

Liz glared at him. "I wasn't going to let Dean rot in prison over this. It just wasn't going to happen. He's suffered enough because of me. This was just too much."

Bobby shook his head in disappointment. "I hope you know what you're doing, Liz. I'd hate to think that the last five years of my life were wasted protecting something that you threw away with one hastily made decision."

"Tom was going to kill Jason's daughter," Liz replied defensively. "I wasn't going to have that on my conscience, too. I just couldn't bear it."

Bobby shrugged. "I hope it's worth it, Liz. One girl for the rest of the world."

Liz cut him to shreds with her glare. "Oh, don't try that with me. If the world's gonna end, it's gonna end. I'm _not_ the catalyst that makes it happen or not."

Bobby refused to back down. "You and I both know that's not true."

Liz took a calming breath. "I'm sorry, Bobby. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't think I could take it if anyone else died because of me."

Bobby's anger was palpable. "Like I said, I hope it's worth it."

Liz rolled her eyes and nodded toward Dean. "Get him out of here," she said and slapped the amulet she had taken back from Tom into his hand. "And start working on how Tom got this."

"I will," Bobby said. "Come straight to my house after you leave here."

Liz nodded. "Of course," she answered. "I'm not really worried about me so much as I am Dean. Tom doesn't want me dead, but he's foaming at the mouth to get at him. I think we'd better look into further fortifying your grounds."

"What did you have in mind?"

Liz hesitated. "A church grim," she replied.

Bobby's eyebrows rose. "Do you know how those are made?"

"It's war, Bobby. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like to."

"You sure you're okay with that?"

"We've both done worse," Liz rebutted.

"It doesn't bother me. I thought it might you," Bobby replied with a shrug.

"Well, it doesn't."

"That's good," he responded. He headed over to a shell-shocked looking Dean and clapped him on the back. "How you doing, son?"

"I thought she was dead, Bobby," Dean said dazedly.

"You were supposed to," Bobby replied bluntly.

"Why would she do that to me? Better yet, why would you? Liz couldn't have done this all by herself, so you must have been helping her. Why?"

Bobby glanced down guiltily. "I had my reasons, and so did she. I can't tell you anything else. Do you want a ride to my house? We could talk about this on the way."

Anger flashed on Dean's face. "I'd rather walk. Sam's here. I'll ride with him."

Bobby nodded. "Fair enough. Come by my house before you head to your apartment. We need to decide what to do about Liz now that she's shown her face." He handed Dean the amulet Liz had given him. "Put this on, would you?"

"I've already got the charm that Jason left me."

"This one's stronger."

Dean took the necklace and sighed unhappily as he fastened it around his neck. His gaze drifted back to Liz. "Is she going to your house?" he asked.

Bobby nodded. "She'll be there."

"It's really her? It's not a glamour or a shape shifter or something?"

"It's really her."

Dean looked lost as he watched her. "Why'd she leave? You're involved in it, so I know you know."

Bobby gave him a sympathetic look. "That's a conversation for the two of you."

"I'm asking you."

"And I'm telling you to ask her."

"Fine," Dean replied angrily and started towards Liz. He stopped after a couple steps. "I'll ask her later."

"She'll understand if you need some time to sort out your head."

Dean glared at Bobby. "I'll see you back at your house," he told him and headed off to find Sam.

XXX

Sam took the long way back to Bobby's house in order to give Dean a little more time to think and gather his wits. Dean was silent as they drove. Sam glanced at him every few minutes but otherwise left him to his thoughts. Sam couldn't help but think that _he'd_ been thrown for a loop, so he could only imagine what Dean must be feeling.

He pulled over to the side of the road a few miles outside of town. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked Dean.

Dean balked. "There's nothing to talk about, Sam."

"She pretended to be dead, Dean."

"Woah, you're blowing my mind, Sam," Dean replied sarcastically. "I missed that detail in the last five years of her not being here."

Sam pushed back the flash of anger that Dean's response caused. "She probably had a pretty decent reason is all I'm saying."

Dean's face hardened. "I'm sure she did. Unfortunately for her, I could care less what it is."

"Dean," Sam began tiredly, "I know that you are hurting right now, but don't do anything stupid. You love Liz. Remember that. You can be as angry as you need to be but give her a chance to explain herself before you completely write her off."

"She left, Sam," he said, his face twisting in pain. "She left me."

"I know she did, Dean. The good news is that she's alive now and she's here. You have a chance to tell her all the things you've wanted to over the years since she's been gone."

Dean swallowed to wet his suddenly dry throat. "I don't know that I feel the same way anymore. Everything's changed."

"I'm pretty sure that Liz will wait until you figure it out," Sam said.

Dean forced a smile. "It's the least she can do," he agreed.

"The very least," Sam reiterated. He watched Dean for a moment. "Are you ready to head to Bobby's and face her, or do you need me to drive around some more?"

Dean cleared his throat. "I'm fine. Gotta face her some time. Might as well be now."

Dean didn't have to worry. Liz was apparently not invited to the night's proceedings as she wasn't at the meeting Bobby had called.

Bobby didn't seem particularly comfortable speaking in front of a room of more than forty hunters, but he did it anyway.

"Okay, so we got some big news today. I called this meeting so we could clear the air and get on with things. Anyone with any questions, ask them."

A hunter that Dean did not recognize raised his hand first. "Where is Liz Barrister at?" he asked without waiting to be acknowledged.

"She's not coming tonight. I told her I wanted to have a meeting with everyone first so we could talk through any issues anyone has without her here clouding the proceedings."

"What issues?" another hunter chimed in. Dean thought the man's name was Mark. "Liz Barrister pretended to be dead and came out of hiding to help Dean. Why am I supposed to care? She helped Dean, and I'm glad she did. Other than that, it doesn't really affect me."

"That's just it," Bobby disagreed, "now that Liz is back, everything has changed. Barrister Enterprises has been taking a more aggressive approach to their strategy in the past few months. We think Liz is the reason. They were willing to draw global attention to themselves in order to force her out of hiding. That tells us something."

"It tells us that they think Liz is important enough to risk possible exposure," Mark observed. "Something changed a couple months ago. Anyone who's been out there recently knows that. The big bads in the world stepped up their game, and if Liz is at the root of that, then I say we need to do what we can to protect her."

"Here, here," a hunter named Janelle agreed.

Bobby looked around the room. "Are we at a consensus about that?" he asked.

The first hunter to speak stood up. "I want to know what Dean thinks about all of this."

All attention shifted to Dean. He squirmed in his seat then cleared his throat. "I agree with what Mark said," he threw out quickly. "If Liz is under attack, we need to protect her."

"Even after what she did to you?" the hunter asked in a surprised voice.

Dean stared at the man until he looked away. He stood up and met the eyes of anyone who would look at him. "Listen, and listen good. If Liz is in trouble, every last one of you is going to do everything in your power to protect her because that's what we do. Leave me and my personal life out of it."

The hunter who had questioned Dean looked sheepish as he turned to Bobby. "You have a consensus," he said.

Dean rushed to get out of the suddenly too small room. Liz was coming out of the bathroom right as he passed the door, so they almost collided. They stared at one another for a long, awkward moment.

Liz waved tentatively. "Hey."

Dean just stared at her for another moment. "Hey," he replied finally.

She took a step toward him. He stepped back, so Liz stopped. They stood in the hallway staring at one another.

Dean focused on the floor. "So what've you been doing for the last five years?" he asked politely.

Liz considered him cautiously, unsure of how sincere he was being. "I've been doing jobs for Bobby and trying to unite some support in other countries."

"Did you have any luck?" The polite tone was still there.

"You could say that."

"That's good."

Liz had had enough. "I would rather you'd yell at me, Dean."

Dean pinned her with a glare. "You don't always get what you want, Liz," he told her, voice raw with emotion.

Liz hugged herself. "Isn't that obvious?"

"Don't do that, Liz," Dean demanded. "Don't pretend like you weren't the one who went away."

Dean turned away from her and cleared his throat uncomfortably. They stayed there, emotions in turmoil, with Liz watching while Dean pointedly ignored her. Suddenly, Dean put two and two together.

"You were working internationally?" he asked.

Liz's confusion showed on her face. "Yeah…why?"

Dean laughed humorlessly. "You're Cassie Strider."

"No, I'm not."

"You've got to be. No wonder you'd never meet with me."

"I'm not Cassie Strider," Liz insisted. "My cover name was Lindsey Nightingale."

"Lindsey? Sandy's friend Lindsey? I guess she was right, and I had met you after all."

"Yeah," Liz replied. She bit her lip nervously and changed the subject. "I met your trainees. Bobby put you in charge of a bunch of teenage girls, huh? That was smart."

Dean glared at her. "I take my job very seriously, Liz."

Liz's eyes twinkled in amusement as she answered him. "I'll bet you do."

"It's none of your business, Liz," he insisted. "For your information, I am a damn good teacher to those girls."

"One of them said you slept with her."

Dean's mouth fell open. "I've never touched one hair on a one of their heads in anything but a completely professional way."

Liz shrugged. "If you say so."

"I do say so, and I don't like you coming in here trying to make it something that it's not. I know that a lot of the girls have a crush on me, but that's all it is. I don't do anything to encourage it."

"You don't do anything to discourage it, either, I'd bet."

Dean's eyes flashed angrily. "You…you…bitch," he spat out then stomped away.

Liz winced. "Nice one, Liz," she mumbled miserably to herself. She walked dejectedly to her room and flung herself on the bed. After a moment, she sat up and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. She dialed Cassie and waited for her to pick up.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Cassie returned.

"Are things going okay?"

"Things are swell," Cassie replied jokingly.

"Good. I need you to take Marisa to the place we discussed before and leave her there blindfolded, bound, and gagged. I'll give you two hours to get away before I call Tom and give him the location. Come to Bobby's after you get finished."

"But…" Cassie objected.

"You have your orders," Liz snapped.

"We're really just going to let her go?"

"Yes, that's exactly what we're going to do. Let me know when she's in place."

"Liz, I don't know if I can just turn this chick loose."

"Cassie, if you don't, then don't bother coming to Bobby's. There won't be a place for you here."

"Are you _threatening_ me?" Cassie asked in disbelief.

"I'm giving you your options so that you can make an informed decision."

"Why do we have to let her go, Liz?" Cassie asked. "If you told me that, I might be able to deal better with what I'm about to do."

"You have to turn her loose because I said so, Cass. Don't question me again."

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it."

The echo of Dean's words was like a punch to the gut and caused Liz to suck in a breath. When she spoke again, her voice was much less commanding. "I…You have to turn her loose. I'll explain later."

Cassie softened her tone. "Liz? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little shaken up. It's been a long day. Let me know when you're done."

"Alright, fine. I'm holding you to that offer of explanation, though."

XXX

Liz found Sam sitting alone in the living room. He was spread out on the couch obviously not asleep but with his eyes closed. "Hey," she said to get his attention.

Sam looked over his shoulder at her. "Hey."

Liz wrung her hands nervously. "Are you mad at me?"

Sam gave her a look. "What do you think?"

"Fair enough," she admitted. She sat in the recliner facing the couch and Sam. "I'm surprised you're still here. I thought you had a girlfriend and that it was pretty serious."

"I do. Lauren had a conference this weekend, so she couldn't make it. She was supposed to call when she got out of her meetings. She must have had something come up 'cause she should have called a while ago."

Liz cocked her head suspiciously. "Wait. Your über-serious girlfriend wouldn't take off work to come to your brother's murder trial?"

"She wanted to," Sam replied defensively. "The conference was planned months and months in advance, and she couldn't miss it. She wanted to be here."

Liz shrugged. "If you say so. All I know about Lauren is how Dean feels about her. I'm starting to see why he feels that way."

Sam clenched his jaw angrily. "Did you want something?" he asked.

"Yes," Liz said. "I thought you might want to talk about what happened in the courtroom today and all that stuff that got brought up yet again."

"Why would I want to do that?"

Liz sighed. "Because it keeps coming up, and I'm tired of it coming between us. We may need to work together in the near future, and I want to be able to do that without all this crap making things weird."

"I want that, too."

"Good. I'm glad. Let's talk about it. Do you want me to start?"

"I will," Sam replied. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "When I came to that day, I thought you were dead. You were lying in front of me and there was so much blood on you. I freaked out and left. I couldn't handle touching you. I told myself that I was going for help, but I ended up wandering around for days. The thought that I had killed yet another girl that I loved was just too much for me to handle. And then I saw you when I went to Bobby's and my heart stopped. I couldn't decide what I felt more: happiness that you were okay or disgust at what I had done."

"You didn't do anything," Liz insisted. "That's what I've been telling myself for the last five years. When I woke up and you were gone, I thought that I had failed and that the demon had taken you. When I saw you walking up that road looking dazedly at me, I was happy. I still am. I forgave you a long time ago for leaving me there. You were scared. It's understandable. The only thing that really bothers me is that I can't forget it. Every time that I flinch when something reminds me of it, I hate myself because it feels like the demon won. I don't want it to win."

"Is that why you pretended to be dead? To escape me?"

She went rigid. "No."

"Then why did you?"

"I can't tell you. All that I'll say is that I left to protect you and Dean."

"And now you've come back to protect Dean. Forgive me, Liz, but that is a bunch of bull."

Liz shrugged. "It's the only answer you're gonna get right now. The specifics of why I left are need-to-know, and you don't need to know."

Sam was clearly not pleased with her response. "So what have you been doing for the last five years? Or is that need-to-know information, too?"

"It actually is need-to-know, but I'll tell you anyway. I've been helping Bobby. He is commander-in-chief of a global organization of hunters whose mission it is to destroy Barrister Enterprises."

"Bobby knew you weren't dead?"

"Yeah. He's the one who helped me fake my death. He agreed with me that it would be better for everyone if I went away. It made sense at the time. It makes less sense now. And by the way, he is very unhappy with me for breaking my cover and coming here. He told me that he had everything under control and that I have unnecessarily wreaked confusion and chaos on your and Dean's lives. I see his point, but I was tired of playing dead, and I wasn't going to let Dean go to jail for something he didn't do when I could stop it."

"You messed up Dean's head when you went away."

"I know. I think it's worse now, though. You know he's sleeping with Jo, right?"

"I'm not talking about him and Jo with you."

"She's married, Sam. It's going to be a problem when it all comes out. That is assuming that her husband doesn't already know. I—"

"I'm not going to talk about Dean's sex life, especially not with you. Yes, she's married. Yes, it makes Dean kind of a bastard for sleeping with his friend's wife. He's my brother, though. I'm on his side. End of story. It's his life; he can do what he wants to. He doesn't owe you anything because you've been dead for the last five years. He actually smiles now and means it. Did you know that? It took years after you went away for that to happen."

"Enough," she said. "I get that I suck. Let's talk about something else."

"I want to talk about this global organization. What does Bobby have to do with it? I know he's gathered some hunters here, but I had no idea it was on such a big scale."

"Ah, yes, that. Well, we figured that it was only a matter of time before Tom made his big move, so we decided to prepare for it. I have spent four of the last five years making arrangements with various hunters around the world for them to be ready to be called on in a moment's notice. We have been pretty successful so far. We have contacts on every continent except Antarctica, and we should have some there before the end of the month. I had an interesting time of it in Egypt, I must say. One of the groups recognized my mark, and we almost had a major incident. Instead, they were greatly intrigued about why I wasn't dead. I spent three days doing nothing but answering questions."

"You and Bobby have done this alone?"

"No. There is a network of us. I've primarily worked with a girl named Cassie. You would like her. She's tough and smart and pretty. She should be here tomorrow or the next day. She's finishing up some business for me."

"What kind of business?"

Liz smiled. "The kind that's none of yours."

"She didn't want to come with you to Dean's trial?"

"No. And anyway, Bobby wouldn't have let her."

"Bobby wouldn't have let her?"

"That didn't stop me, but she wouldn't want to get on his bad side."

"That can be a scary place to be."

"True. I've been there enough over the past five years to know. The only time that he admitted that this was hard for me was when Cassie called him to come out because she was worried about me."

"Worried about you for what?"

"It's not important now. It was forever ago."

"It was something to do with Dean," Bobby said, coming into the room.

"Bobby," Liz acknowledged unhappily.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Sam said.

"Because you know what she'd say to try to get you to feel sorry for her," Dean said, walking into sight.

"So how much have you heard?" Liz asked.

"Enough to know that you need to get a better story if you want me to feel sorry for you."

She looked angry. "Screw you, Dean."

"Don't talk to him that way," Sam said.

"Screw you, too, Sam."

"That's enough," Bobby said, stepping in the middle of the group. "Liz stop. The same goes for you boys, too. Everyone cool it."

"You don't control me," Liz insisted.

Bobby glared at her. "I think that's abundantly clear."

Liz had the decency to look ashamed. "Sam asked why I left. Are we letting them in on everything, or what?"

Bobby clenched his jaw. "You and I'll talk about it in the morning when emotions aren't running quite so high. I'm still in charge here, so I don't want to hear another peep from any of you. Go to bed! That's not a suggestion."

Liz ducked her head. "Yes, sir. I'll find you in the morning."

Bobby nodded tersely. "Good." He turned to Dean and Sam. "You two need to get some rest, too."

XXX

"I don't know who she thinks she is," Dean said as he paced angrily in front of Sam.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you.

"You can tell me that she was out of line."

"Alright, she was out of line."

"Of course she was," Dean insisted.

"Is there anything else?" Sam wondered wearily.

Dean looked at Sam in disbelief. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to let my pain interrupt your sitting on your ass. I guess I'll see you in the morning." He walked out of the room in an angry huff.

Sam leaned back into the couch and sighed. Surely, Lauren would be free by now, he thought. He got out his phone and called her. She was just getting back to her hotel room, so he talked to her for a few minutes then let her go. He could feel himself nodding off, so he got up to turn off the lights. Liz came into the room before he made it to the switch.

"Hey," he greeted, stopping in his tracks.

She smiled at him. "Hey," she replied. She walked to within an arm's length of him and looked down bashfully.

"There's something I need to ask you," she said as she batted her eyelashes.

"What's that?" he asked warily.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

Sam's eyes widened. "What!?!" he exclaimed. "No! No, I…" he stopped and shifted awkwardly. "No, you're Dean's wife."

Liz laughed. "So."

"Uh…"

"Sam? Sam? Sam!"

Sam jolted awake. He realized he was still reclining on the couch and had obviously fallen asleep. Liz was standing next to the couch looking at him with a bewildered look on her face.

"You were calling my name," she explained, the quizzical look never leaving her face.

Sam was flabbergasted. "I…uh…nothing. Nothing at all."

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern replacing her confusion.

"I'm fine. I was just having a dream about…"

"Me?" Liz finished, eyes widening. She took a step back.

"No!" Sam protested. "I was absolutely _not_ dreaming about you."

"Right," Liz said, distrust in her eyes. "I'm going back to bed now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Sam repeated lamely. He rubbed his face tiredly when he was alone. "What the hell?" he asked himself and got his phone out, dialing Lauren again as he tried to push down the guilt he was feeling.


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I'm out of town for training for my new job and on a shared computer. I didn't have time to do my usual read through after putting the document in Document Manager. Let me know if you catch any issues with grammar or formatting. Thanks.

**Chapter Ten**

_Liz put her chin on Dean's chest and smiled. "I don't know if I told you this," she said as she lazily ran her fingers across his chest, "but I think you're incredibly hot."_

_Dean laughed happily. "You're not too hard on the eyes yourself, Liz."_

_Liz leaned a cheek against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "We'll make beautiful babies, Dean," she told him mournfully. "So beautiful that you'll forget that you ever didn't want them."_

"_Hey," he said to get her attention._

_She looked up at him, still a little sad. "Yeah?"_

_He pushed the hair that seemed to be constantly falling into her face behind her ear. "If you want to make beautiful babies, then we'll make beautiful babies." A leer came onto his face. "In fact, we can start right now."_

_Liz laughed gaily as Dean grabbed her under her arms and dragged her to eyelevel._

_He rubbed their noses together. "Who wouldn't want to make babies with you?" he asked in earnest._

_She smiled and traced his jaw with her fingertips. "I like you."_

"_I like you, too," he replied with a content smile._

When Dean came awake, he discovered that he had dried tear tracks down the side of his face. The memory was lingering, and he tried to push it to the back of his mind as he got up and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black undershirt and headed to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face to remove all evidence of his tears.

When he was done washing his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror and realized with a start that he looked old. Thirty-four was practically ancient in hunter years, especially considering how long he'd been in the business, and he was looking every bit of it.

Dean angrily flicked water at the mirror so that the droplets distorted his reflection then took a moment to prepare himself for the moment when he had to face Liz. He had intended to find her when he awoke and have it out with her, but now that he was actually up, he decided to find Bobby instead.

He figured that Bobby would be in the basement, so he headed toward the entrance in the kitchen. He ran into several people in the living room who all wanted to offer him congratulations and ask him how he was doing. He broke away from them as quickly as he could and couldn't help up but think longingly of when Bobby's house was an empty wreck. Now there were people everywhere, and it drove him crazy.

He finally made it to the kitchen and found that Bobby was at the table, no trip to the basement needed.

"There you are, Bobby," Dean said. "Have you seen Liz?" He walked into the room and pulled up short when he realized Liz was sitting at the table with Bobby.

He stared at her. "Oh" was all he said, suddenly at a loss for words.

All conversation ceased when Dean came into the room. Bobby was at the counter cutting up various food items, and he threw them into the blender while Liz turned to Dean.

"Is there something you need?" she asked.

Dean shook his head. "I just need to talk to Bobby for a minute."

Liz glanced at Bobby then back at Dean and shrugged. "You can have him. We're done here."

"Liz," Bobby said with a warning to his tone, "aren't you forgetting something?"

Liz rolled her eyes at him. " Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere until I get your stupid smoothie." She peeked at Dean then looked away when he noticed her staring.

Bobby poured the contents of the blender into a cup and handed it to Liz. She looked at the drink with a disgusted face. "Breakfast of champions," she quipped, then tipped the glass at Dean. He stared at her silently as she took a drink. She grimaced but forced herself to swallow.

"Don't leave a drop," Bobby instructed.

"I won't," she promised. She averted her eyes as she walked past Dean.

Dean watched Liz leave then faced Bobby. "What was that?" he wondered.

"Vitamin shake," Bobby replied nonchalantly. "Liz hasn't been taking care of herself like she should. I'll make you one if you want."

Dean glanced after Liz. "I think I'll pass," he said dryly.

Bobby watched him. "I thought you wanted to talk to her," he said.

"I thought I did, too. Then I saw her and realized I don't know what to say."

Bobby motioned for Dean to take a seat. "How about you start with 'hi' and work from there?"

"Hardee, har-har, Bobby."

Bobby shrugged. "You gotta talk to her sometime."

"I do not. I've got my apartment in town. I can stay there until she leaves."

"No, you can't. You're not allowed off my property without a lot of firepower and protection around you."

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "You should know by now that I'm not good with commands, Bobby. I'll do whatever I want."

"Then let me put it another way. You don't want to leave my property without some serious firepower protecting you."

Dean looked dubious. "I don't?"

"You don't," Bobby insisted. "Tom's got it in for you, and he might actually get you if you leave right now."

"I can't stay here forever."

"You won't have to," Bobby promised. "Just bear with me until I figure something out."

Dean clenched his jaw unhappily. "I'll stay here for now," he conceded. "I can't make any promises about how long that'll be."

Bobby nodded. "That's good enough. Now's all I got to work with anyway."

Dean glanced in the direction Liz had left. "Where was she headed?"

For a moment, Bobby looked young as a grin broke onto his face. "I sent her to run with the girls."

Dean whipped back around to stare at Bobby, mouth agape. "_MY _girls?"

Bobby nodded.

Dean shook his head in amusement. "You must be at least a little mad at her, too," he said.

Bobby's grin widened. "Maybe I am," he said.

XXX

Liz found Dean's trainees stretching in front of the house. She walked over to them and fell into step with their warm-up routine.

Katy noticed Liz immediately and walked over to her, arms crossed in front of herself. "What are _you_ doing here?" she asked.

"Bobby told me that you girls have a morning run," Liz explained. "He suggested I join you so that we can get to know one another."

Katy rolled her eyes. "Great. You can run with Aly. She brings up the rear, so it should be a pace well-suited to you."

Liz glared at Katy. "Thanks," she said dryly.

A girl stepped up to them, an unhappy look on her face. "You're such a bitch, Katy," she said. The girl turned to Liz. "Hi, I'm Aly. Katy's a bitch. You can ignore her. She thinks she's the queen o' us all, but she's really not."

Liz laughed. "Good to know."

"She's in love with Dean, so she kind of hates you by default."

"I see. She told me they're kind of an item."

Aly rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, in her freaking dreams!"

Katy looked offended. She pulled Aly's hair. "Shut up!" she yelled.

Aly threw up her hands. "Give me a break, Katy. Get over it. I mean, not that Dean's not hot, and not that I would kick him out of my bed, but you take it to a whole other level."

Katy stomped off to start running. She took off and the other girls fell into step behind her. Liz matched Aly's leisurely pace at the back. Before long, another one of the girls dropped back to run with Aly and Liz.

"Hey," the girl said. "I'm Madison. I met you last night. I don't know if you remember."

Liz looked apologetic. "Sorry, I was a little out of it last night. It'd been a rough day."

"It's okay. So, Liz—can I call you Liz?" At Liz's nod, Madison continued. "Great. So Liz, you've, like, totally done it with Dean. How much of a rock star are you?"

Liz laughed. "I'm not really sure how to respond to that."

Madison waggled her eyebrows at Liz. "You don't have to say anything. I've already decided that Dean's an amazing lover. I don't care what the reality is."

Soon several of the girls were crowded around Liz. Katy and a few of the girls kept pace far enough ahead that they were clearly leading but could still hear what Liz was saying.

All of the girls were curious and had a million questions.

"Tell us about something awesome you've done," Shaniqua requested. "Tell us about a hunt that was particularly gruesome or something like that."

Liz tried unsuccessfully to hide her amusement at everyone's enthusiasm. "I can see why Dean likes you guys so much," she said. "You're a lot of fun."

Brooke waved away the compliment. "I'm with Shaniqua. I want to hear about bloody, disgusting hunts."

Liz mimed having her arm twisted behind her. "Okay. Well, let me think for a second." She ran along for several steps while she thought. "Okay. Well, there was this one hunt that my partner and I stumbled upon when we were down in Texas several years ago. Girls were disappearing and turning up mutilated. Alex and I spent two weeks looking for whatever was doing it. Nothing was making sense. We couldn't figure out what had an MO like this. We looked and researched and wrung our hands. All the while, more bodies were piling up."

Madison's eyes were wide. "So what was it?"

Liz smiled at the girls' anticipation. She thought of the hunt, and her smile fell. "Well, it turned out that there was nothing supernatural about the case at all. It was just a sick bastard who liked to dominate and rape girls then kill them."

Madison's eyes were as round as saucers. "What'd you do?" she asked breathlessly.

Liz looked around at the girls. "I castrated the bastard and left him for the police."

"Seriously?" Aly wanted to know.

Liz smiled. "I guess you'll never know," she said and picked up her pace. She was soon even with Katy.

When Liz pulled ahead of her, Katy increased her pace, refusing to let Liz outrun her. She struggled to maintain the fast pace. Liz grinned at her and sped up even more. Katy pushed herself to catch up but soon had to fall back.

Liz reached the end of the run with Katy a minute behind. Both of them were breathing hard as they glared at one another.

When Liz had caught her breath, she walked over to Katy and clapped her on the back. "Good run, Katy. Do you want to help me with something later today?"

Katy was curious enough that she was willing to listen. "I don't know. What are you doing?"

Liz shrugged. "Making a church grim."

"What's that?"

"You'll find out if you want to help."

"Whatever," Katy replied. She tried to keep her cool but was obviously excited by the prospect of helping Liz. "Can Fran come, too?"

Liz thought about it. "No, I need the rest of the girls helping Bobby with something else."

Madison made it to the finish line in time to hear the last of their conversation. "Really? What are we going to be doing?"

"Building a protective barrier around the property using charms."

Madison clapped her hands excitedly. "Dean never lets us do fun stuff like that. You rock, Liz!"

Liz was starting to look visibly tired. "I'm gonna grab a nap. I had a late night."

Madison's face lit up. "_Oohhh_. You the woman." She nodded her approval.

Liz rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Not that kind of a late night," she said.

Madison gave her two thumbs up. "Whatever you say. Just remember that you're super fly."

Liz shook her head in begrudged amusement while Katy rolled her eyes and walked away in a huff. Liz watched her walk away with a sigh. She would need to deal with Katy later, but first things first: she needed to get some sleep.

XXX

That afternoon, Katy searched out Dean and found him in the living room. There was an empty alcohol bottle in the floor at his feet and another partially empty bottle in his hand. He was leaned against the couch cushions and seemed to be asleep.

"Dean?" Katy asked hesitantly.

His eyes popped open, and he turned his head toward Katy. "Yeah?" he slurred out.

Katy's eyes were wide and uncertain. "I've been talking to some of the girls, and they agree with me. It doesn't matter that Liz is trying to win us over; we're on your side. We decided that we're not going to go to battle with her after what she did to you."

"Yes, you are," Dean told her. "You all will, or you can get the hell out."

"But…"

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but Liz is…" He fumbled with the right thing to say. "Liz…well, I've gotta believe that there's a good reason she did what she did, and when we find out what it is, you'll all understand why she had to go away. Until then, you will respect her. No buts."

"But…"

"None, Katy."

Katy looked at the floor. "Okay, Dean. Sorry."

Dean watched Katy for a moment. "What's she trying to do to win you over?" he wondered.

Katy seemed to realize that she'd said too much. "Well, um, I'm supposed to help her make a church grim or something like that."

"A church grim? What's that?"

Katy shrugged. "I don't know. It sounded like it's gonna be cool, though. Everyone else is gonna help Bobby build a magical barrier around the entire property."

Dean capped the bottle he was drinking from and stood up. He staggered toward the hall without saying anything else to Katy.

Katy hurried after him. "Dean! Dean, are you mad at me?"

Dean wheeled around. "Did Liz say where she was going?" he asked angrily.

"She said she was going to rest."

Dean nodded and went to the room Liz was using. He slammed the door open and walked into the room. It was empty.

He turned around and nearly ran into Katy. "Stay here," he commanded and shoved past her. She only waited a moment before following after him.

XXX

"What do you think you're doing?" Dean demanded.

Liz finished giving instructions to the hunter who was helping her then walked over to Dean. She took a whiff of him and waved in front of her face to clear the air. "Whew. Have you been drinking?"

"That's beside the point," Dean insisted. "What do you think you're doing using the girls to do your dirty work? I'm in charge of training the girls, and I say they're not ready for whatever it is you're doing. If you want their help in the future, ask me first."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Well, Bobby thinks they're ready. Talk to him if you've got a problem. Personally, I think the girls would benefit from feeling like they were doing something that actually mattered for once. You can't keep them smacking around in a dojo forever. Things are about to get serious, and they need some experience before they do."

"They're _my_ charges. Mine! I get to decide what they do next in training."

"Whatever you say, _sir_," Liz mocked with a smirk. She looked behind Dean and grew severe. "You're late, Katy," she snapped. "Go find Eric and get your instructions."

Katy avoided looking at Dean as she scampered past him.

Dean glared at Liz. "Fine, the girls can help you, but I'm staying."

Liz shrugged. "Whatever you want to do." She walked back to the man she'd been talking to when Dean first came up. "We about ready, Rob?" she asked.

Rob nodded. "I think so."

Liz glanced over at Dean then pretended to be looking at something else when he noticed. "Well, let's get started then," she said.

"Okay. I'll bring it now. Everything's in place."

Liz nodded her approval. "Good."

The man left, and Dean stepped closer to Liz. "What exactly is a church grim?" he asked her.

She looked at him. "They protect churches."

Dean thought that was hilarious. He laughed and motioned around himself. "Do you see any churches around here?"

Liz raised an eyebrow. "What do you think I'm building?"

Dean's mouth fell open. "You're building a church on Bobby's place? That's insane."

"Well, it may be, but Father Patrick already consecrated the grounds. He'll be back to bless the building when we raise it tomorrow."

"You got a preacher to agree to consecrate Bobby's property?" Dean couldn't help but be impressed.

Liz smiled. "Better yet, I called in a favor, and the Vatican itself arranged for a priest to be here. It pays to have friends in high places."

"That it does."

Rob pulled up in a work truck with a large box in the back. Barking was coming from it. Liz hurried over and helped Rob unload the box. A large black dog glared out from the holes in the side of it. The dog was snapping angry at having been locked in a cage for hours.

"Take it over to the hole," Liz told Rob and motioned for Eric to send Katy back over.

Katy was ashen-faced when she rejoined Liz. "I talked to Eric. I'm not sure I can do this," she told Liz.

"You can," Liz disagreed. "I know that you can."

"What _are_ you doing, Liz?" Dean demanded to know. He looked between Katy and Liz. "What's going on?"

Liz ignored him. "Are you really not going to do this?" Liz asked Katy.

Katy looked like she was about to cry. "I don't think I can," she said. "I'm sorry."

Liz's face softened. "It's okay. I'll do it," she told her. "You can go find Bobby if you'd rather help him."

Dean grabbed Liz and made her look at him. "What are you about to do?" he asked.

Liz shook him off and jumped into the hole. She helped Rob and Eric lower the box into the hole and took the knife that they passed down to her.

The dog's angry barks turned to growls then faded to whimpers.

Liz reemerged, hands covered in blood. "Start covering the hole!" she commanded Rob and Eric. "We have to start burying him while he's still alive!" She grabbed a shovel and started pushing dirt into the hole.

Katy hesitated for a moment then grabbed a shovel and helped Liz and the two men bury the dog. Dean stood back and watched them all with an expression that said he thought they'd lost their minds.

When the hole was covered, Liz sat down on top of it and chanted something in Latin. When she finished, she collapsed back on the mound of dirt and heaved a sigh. She turned to Rob and Eric. "Do you guys think you could handle things without me for awhile? I'd like to take a shower if I could."

"We got it," Rob replied. "Some of the other hunters are going to come and help us. We should get the frame up in a couple hours, tops."

Liz sat up. "Good. Come and get me when it's done."

XXX

Liz stopped in the door of her room. Dean was sitting on the edge of her bed waiting for her. "Hey," she said and walked into the room. She stopped a few feet inside and shifted uncertainly.

Dean took her in. She was freshly showered, hair still dripping. "Hey," he said.

"What's up?"

"You mean why am I in your room," Dean replied.

Liz shrugged. "Well, yeah."

"You killed that dog."

"I did," she agreed. "I would have preferred not to, but that's how you make a church grim. You're more important to me than a dog."

"So that's part of the battening down the hatchets that's been going on, huh?"

"Yeah."

Dean nodded thoughtfully. "Okay."

Liz walked to the bed and cautiously sat down beside Dean. She made sure to keep some distance between them. "We're going to Ellen's bar tonight," she told him. "I asked Bobby, and he agreed that it would be okay if you went."

Dean smiled sardonically. "Thanks for your permission, Liz. I didn't know I needed it."

Liz nervously played with the hem of her shirt. "Can I tell you something?" she asked.

Dean just stared at her, so Liz took that as permission to continue.

"This isn't going to be fair to you, and I'm sorry about that. I just thought you should know that I'm faking it. I'm not cool, calm, and collected or anything even resembling that. I just seem that way. I have very purposely not touched you even though every molecule in my body is rebelling. It takes all my efforts just to keep up with the conversation when I'm talking to you. I'm a wreck when you're around."

Dean considered her for a moment. "Well, isn't that special, Liz?" he told her, putting as much spite as he could muster into it. He left the room without giving her time to say anything else. He waited until he was out of sight to lean against the wall and take several deep breaths. When he stood back up, he realized his whole body was shaking.

XXX

Liz and Dean stayed on opposite sides of Ellen's bar that night. Someone always seemed to be with Dean. Liz tried not to watch him, but her eyes always drifted back to him.

Dean kept the drinks coming to keep himself busy. Hunters swarmed around him, and he was glad for the distraction. He kept stealing glances at Liz and was glad that she was looking at him. Until she wasn't. A girl and guy he didn't recognize entered the bar, and suddenly Liz's attention was drawn to them.

Liz sighed in relief when Cassie and Alex showed up.

"I gotta say, Liz, this bar took us forever to find. We weren't sure we were ever going to get here," Alex told her.

Liz was nervous with anticipation. "And Marisa?"

Cassie snorted and shook her head in disgust. "We left the bitch where you said. Our intel informs us that she's safe and warm in her bed. Hope you're happy."

Liz shot an annoyed look at Cassie. "I am. It's good to know you can follow instructions."

Anger flashed on Cassie's face. "It's good to know that _I_ can follow instructions!?!" she balked.

"Ladies, ladies," Alex interrupted. "Can't we keep the cat fights to a minimum? I love watching two women duke it out as much as the next guy, but I find this place severely lacking in mud pits and you girls _way_ overdressed. That's really all that would make it worthwhile for me right now."

It was Cassie's turn to look annoyed. "Why don't you go away, Alex?" she suggested.

Alex laughed. "Why don't you?"

"So the honeymoon's over between you two, huh?" Liz observed.

Alex put his arm across Liz's shoulder. "Come on, Lindsey, dance with me. I've had drama, drama, drama for the last three days. I need to blow off some steam."

Liz pushed his arm off of her. "I hear your hand's good for that."

Alex laughed. "You would know," he teased.

"Asshole," Liz replied, but she was fighting a smile.

"If you want to talk hand jobs," Alex continued, "you know how I appreciate what yours are capable of." He leaned into her personal space. "I'm sure they would be capable of other things I would appreciate."

Liz rolled her eyes. "You are such a perv," she said and shoved him out of her space.

He was unfazed. "And you are _so_ dancing with me. Come on, you know Cassie's just talking crap that can wait."

Liz threw an apologetic look Cassie's way as she let Alex lead her to the dance floor.

Cassie rolled her eyes and went to get a drink. She ordered and started to find a table when Dean tapped her on the shoulder. He nodded toward Alex. "Who's that jerk?"

Cassie sized him up then followed his line of sight to Alex. "That's Alex. He's all right. He and Linds were partners for a while before I hooked up with her."

Dean turned his attention to Cassie. "And you are?"

Cassie looked annoyed at Dean's tone. "Cassie Strider," she said and stuck her hand out for Dean to shake it.

Dean just stared at her. "You're Cassie Strider? _The_ Cassie Strider? You were Liz's partner?"

"Who the hell is Liz?"

Dean pointed at Liz with the hand that held his drink. "That's Liz Barrister. The woman you knew—Lindsey the nurse or whatever—doesn't exist and never has."

Cassie took a moment to process what Dean had told her. "Huh," she said. "That explains a lot actually."

She watched Liz as she crawled onto the small stage in the corner. "What is she doing?"

Dean glanced at Liz then rolled his eyes. "If I had to guess, I'd say she's getting ready to serenade us."

Cassie laughed. "Lindsey doesn't sing," she insisted. "In the four years that I've known her, I've never heard her so much as hum."

"Well, you're about to be proven wrong. Liz sings and dances and kicks ass with the best of them."

Cassie shrugged carelessly and turned her attention back to Dean. "So you're Dean Winchester then? You're what all the fuss is about?"

"I'm Dean Winchester," Dean verified.

"So, I take it you were more than just a one night stand."

Dean snorted angrily. "Is that what Liz said?"

Cassie smirked. "I only know about you at all because I got her drunk."

Dean watched Liz thoughtfully for a moment while she danced with Alex then glanced at Cassie. "She's my wife."

Cassie's eyes widened. "Your wife?" Cassie jerked her head to look at Liz. "That explains even more. What it doesn't explain is what you did to make her leave."

Dean glared at Cassie. "I didn't do anything," he insisted.

"Sure you didn't."

"You know what?" Dean replied angrily. "Screw you!"

Cassie shrugged. "You know, you're right. I don't know why Linds left you, but even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that Lind—Liz doesn't do things without thinking them through first. If she left you, she had a reason, and it was a good one at that."

"I'll let you know when I find out," Dean replied and stumbled to his feet. He walked to Alex and pulled him away from Liz.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced," he said and punched him in the face.

Alex was knocked to the floor and looked up at Dean from where he landed. His eyes were wide with shock.

Dean glared down at him. "That's my wife you were dancing with," he said and walked away.

"Dean!" Liz yelled and crouched beside Alex. "I'm sorry, Alex. I—" She trailed off when she noticed Dean heading toward the door. She left Alex without another word and followed after Dean, jogging to catch him. He reached the door and stepped into the parking lot with Liz a step behind him.

"Dean!" she called, grabbing him to make him stop.

Dean shook her off and wheeled around. His look of anger was so strong that Liz took a step away from him.

"Don't you dare come out here and scold me! Don't you dare pretend that that wasn't exactly what you were hoping would happen! You were trying to get a reaction from me, and you did. You should just be glad I don't hit girls, or that guy might not have been the only person I hit tonight."

Liz glanced away guiltily. "Alex is an old—"

"Shut. Up. Liz. I don't want to hear about you and Alex."

Liz met his eyes. "There's no—"

Dean grabbed her and jerked her against him. "I said shut up!"

"Sorry."

"Liz." His voice was full of warning.

Liz stared at him. Her eyes drifted down to his lips and back up again. They were both breathing hard as they stood there, bodies pressed together unsure of what to do next.

"Dean—"

What Liz was going to say next was lost as Dean kissed her. He turned her arms loose, grabbed her butt, and jerked her pelvis against his body. Liz took advantage of having her arms free to run them in Dean's hair. Dean picked her up, and Liz helped him by wrapping her legs around him and locking her feet together.

They didn't break their embrace as Dean stumbled to the Impala and sat Liz on the hood. He stepped away from her and took a deep breath. When she tried to kiss him again, he grabbed a handful of her hair and held her back.

"Don't," he told her and turned her loose.

She watched him curiously as he pushed her until she was lying on her back on top of the hood.

He grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms until they were straight out at her sides. He pinned them there for a second then stood up. Liz sat back up. Dean glared at her and pushed her back down.

"You don't get to touch me, Liz. The moment that you try to, I'm going to walk away. Understand?"

"That's fine. You'll still be touching me," Liz replied. She leaned forward in hopes that Dean would kiss her again when she saw someone rushing toward Dean. She shoved Dean to the side and rolled so that the attacker missed her and hit the car. She winced at the sound of metal on metal. The Impala was surely scratched.

Dean saw the damage to his car and got mad. "You scratched my car, you asshole!" he yelled and got the guy in a headlock.

The man broke free from Dean and held up his knife. The two men were so intent on one another that they had forgotten Liz. She used that distraction to stab the attacker in the throat. She twisted the knife to make sure she'd severed the man's jugular then pulled the knife back out and let the man's body drop to the ground.

Dean's eyes were wide with shock when Liz looked at him. She rolled her eyes then squatted beside the man and used his shirt to clean her knife off.

"You killed him," Dean said.

"Boo hoo," Liz replied. "I wouldn't cry too much for him. He's burning in hell just like he always wanted."

Dean watched Liz as she searched through the man's pocket. "You're different," he said.

"You noticed, huh?"

Dean just watched her.

Liz looked up at him and sighed. "I've had to do a lot of things in the last five years that I never thought I'd be capable of," she told him. "We can talk about that later, but right now, I just want to get rid of this body and go to bed. Can you go get Bobby for me?"

Dean nodded. "Sure."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"So you guys what? Kissed and made up?" Liz asked. She was standing at the end of the couch watching as Alex and Cassie playfully bantered back and forth with one another.

Alex glanced up at her. "That's right. Cassie and I have a very complicated relationship. She insults me, and I forgive her. I annoy her, and she gets over it. It's a beautiful thing."

Liz sat on the couch beside Alex, careful to keep some space between them. She leaned forward so she could see Cassie. "What's up?"

Cassie stared at her with an open challenge on her face. "So, _Liz_, I hear that you're married."

Liz looked at her lap then back at Cassie. "I don't know what you want me to say, Cass. My life didn't begin when I met you."

Cassie reeled back as if Liz had slapped her. "You bitch! I'm not saying I think your life should or did revolve around me, but I spent four years with you and I didn't even know your name until some guy you pretended was nothing to you informed me that you're his wife. I have never lied to you, and now I find out that all you've ever done was lie."

Liz glanced away guiltily. "I'm sorry, Cass. I really am. I couldn't risk trusting you, though. I hope you can understand that."

Cassie shook her head in angry disbelief. "You couldn't trust me!?! You know, you could have just said that Bobby wouldn't let you tell me."

Liz looked Cassie in the eyes. "You wouldn't have believed me. You know how often what Bobby thinks stops me."

Alex wrapped an arm around both girls' shoulders and pulled them in close to him. "Now, girls. We all have things we wish we would have known from the beginning about the other person. For example, Liz, you're a Barrister. That might have been helpful to know when I was trying to find your dear brother's compound in Michigan. However, I get why you kept it on the DL. And Cass, you're in love with Liz. It might have been helpful to know that my charm and winning personality wouldn't be wooing you." Alex looked at Liz. "You know, it might also have been helpful to have known that you're married. My eye definitely would have thanked me to be clued in to that because it might not be bruised and disgusting looking if I had known I was pissing off Dean-freaking-Winchester by dancing with you."

Liz shrugged. "Think of it as a battle scar. I'm sure the teeny boppers will think it's sexy. Go for Katy. Remain aloof, though. She seems to like what she can't have."

Alex watched her shrewdly. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" he asked.

Liz scoffed unconvincingly. "Jealousy? Please. There's nothing to be jealous of. Dean's not at all interested in her."

"Right," Alex drawled out. "Men hate it when a hot chick fauns all over them. It just disgusts us."

"Shut up," Liz replied.

Cassie laughed. "Alex has a wonderful affect on your witty banter," she told Liz.

"Bobby wanted me to give you this," Dean said from behind them.

Liz bolted upright, putting as much distance as she could between herself and Alex. She suddenly didn't seem to know what to do with her hands. She smoothed down her hair with them then put them in her lap then crossed her arms. "Dean...um...hey."

Cassie fell into a fit of giggles. "What has happened to you, Linds? You're normally deadly with a comeback. Now you're sputtering like a tongue-tied teenager."

Liz glared at Cassie. "I..." She trailed off and looked at Dean again. "Did you...sleep well?"

A smile twitched at the corner of Dean's lips. "Cassie's right, you _are_ really off your game. Is it 'cause of me?"

Liz closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Bobby wanted you to give me something," she reminded him.

Dean held out a cup with what looked like a smoothie in it. "He wanted me to make sure that you drank it all, so bottoms up." He watched as Liz took a drink and grimaced. "What's in that?" he wondered. "It smells like ass."

Liz smiled sardonically. "It tastes like ass, too."

Dean's eyebrows furrowed. "So you don't know what's in it?" he asked.

"Oh, she knows what's in it," Cassie chimed in. "She usually has to make them for herself."

Liz sighed. "It's the perfect blend of ingredients to ensure that I grow up nice and strong with healthy bones and other parts."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Hm. That's nice and vague. What's it for?"

"I try to keep myself in tiptop shape so I can be the best hunter I can be."

"You think I'm pretty stupid, don't you?" Dean replied.

Liz's eyes widened. "No, I..."

Dean held up his hands to stop her. "It's okay. I don't need to know."

Cassie snorted, and Dean turned his attention to her. "So you're Cassie Strider," he said.

"The one and only," she verified.

"I get now why you were always too busy to meet up with me."

A confused look came onto Cassie's face. "What are you talking about?"

Liz was alarmed. "Okay, why don't we go get some training in?" she suggested to Cassie.

Cassie sized Liz up. "What is he talking about?" she asked.

Liz fidgeted uncomfortably. "Umm...I don't know?"

Dean's face lit up. "I knew it was you!" he told Liz. "From the minute I found out you had been overseas for the last few years, I knew you were the one I was text messaging. I knew you were Cassie Strider."

Cassie looked deadly as she glared at Liz. "You pretended to be me so you could talk to Dean?" She didn't wait for Liz to confirm what she already knew to be true. "Unforgivable, Liz. Unforgivable."

She stomped off without another word.

Dean watched her go. "She's dramatic, huh?"

Liz put her head in her hands. "Alex, could you give me a minute with Dean?" she asked tiredly.

Alex gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her on the back. "Sure," he said. "I'll go talk Cassie down."

Liz smiled weakly as she looked up at Alex. "Thanks," she told him. She waited until he had left the room before she turned to Dean.

He spoke first. "We're alone now. Say whatever it is you couldn't say in front of them."

Liz shrugged. "I could tell you wanted them to leave. My spidey sense was tingling, so I asked Alex to leave."

"Right. I forget we're still connected like that. It's been a long time since I've been aware of the connection."

"Wanna change that?" Liz asked.

"You mean reopen our connection?" Dean wondered. "How do we do that?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Bobby put a spell on us. He could do the counter-spell."

Dean's face fell. "Oh. I thought maybe...nevermind what I thought."

Liz smiled slyly. "We could do that, too."

Dean sat down across the room from her and leaned back so he was looking at the ceiling. "I'll think about it," he told her noncommittally. "I actually have a mission. Bobby thinks it'll be good for me to talk to you regardless of what it's about, so he's left it up to me to get you up to speed with a run down of some of the hunts and things we've done over the past five years."

Liz nodded. "Okay. Whatever you think's important."

"Well, our major project was trying to get as many of the people on your brother's hit list out of harm's way as we could."

"Sounds like a noble thing," Liz deadpanned.

Dean cocked his head and watched her thoughtfully. "It was. We got most of them to safety. I get the feeling that you already know that, though."

Liz shrugged. "I may have been in charge of Operation Winchester Cleanup," she replied with a playful smile.

Dean laughed. "You gave it a name?"

"I was bored."

"Apparently."

Liz laughed with him. "I'm such a dork."

They both laughed for a moment longer, trying to ignore the awkwardness that was still lingering between them.

"So, what else do you want to tell me about?" Liz asked to move the conversation along.

Dean watched her for a moment. "Nothing. Not really. I don't really want to talk about the past five years with you."

"Oh? What do you want to talk about then?"

Dean got up and pulled Liz to her feet. He stayed close enough to her that she could feel the heat from his body. "I don't want to talk at all," he admitted. He pulled her down the hall and into her room because it was closest. He grabbed her biceps and backed her up until she was against the wall. He put a hand on either side of her face and leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him.

"What about Jo?" she asked.

Dean looked confused. "What about her?"

"You're sleeping with her."

"Why would you think that?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Dean, I'm not an idiot. You're sleeping with her, and she's married."

"That's none of your business, Liz."

"She's married," Liz repeated.

Dean looked exasperated. "I know that. I hang out with her husband all the time."

"You hang out with the guy whose wife you're screwing behind his back?"

"You faked your death, so you don't get to come here and judge me."

"She's married, Dean! How is that not sinking in?"

"So am I, Liz!" he yelled at her.

Liz crossed her arms across her chest. "It's not the same thing," she insisted.

Dean gave her a look. "Isn't it?"

"You're playing like you're his best friend. How in your mind is that okay?"

"It just is. Me and Jo have nothing to do with my friendship with him."

Liz let out a disbelieving laugh. "I'm not sure he'll see it that way when he finds out. And he _will_ find out, Dean."

"It's none of your business!"

"You said that already!"

"Yeah? Well, I meant it!"

"I won't sleep with you while you're sleeping with her."

Dean's face twisted into a cruel look. "Well, well, well, someone's got an ego on her."

Liz rolled her eyes almost unconsciously. "Oh, please, Dean, you would sleep with me."

"You sure? I've seen a lot of naked chicks in the last five years. I think I may be immune to doing what you say just because you offer to show a little skin."

There was a knock on the door, staying whatever response Liz had. She glared at Dean then shoved him away from her. "Come in," she said.

Bobby came into the room and shut the door behind him. "I need to talk to Liz alone," he told Dean.

"Can it wait a few minutes?" Liz wondered. "We're kind of in the middle of something."

"Linda is here," Bobby explained.

Liz looked aghast. "Why?"

"I don't know, but she brought the kids."

Liz's face drained of color. "Oh god. Something must be wrong. Where's Josh? Did something happen to him?"

"Stay calm, Liz. Let's give her a chance to explain what's going on before we freak out too much."

"We need to round up the forces."

Bobby put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. That could be exactly what Tom wants us to do. We need to get more information before we make decisions like that," he reasoned.

"Well," Dean began, "I, for one, vote for sharing with the rest of the class." He looked between Bobby and Liz. "What's going on?"

Liz looked at Bobby expectantly.

"No," he told her in a clipped tone. He turned and addressed Dean, "We'll let you know what is going on when we know. You need to content yourself with not knowing for the time being. Liz, let's go talk about this somewhere else."

Bobby started to walk away, but Dean stopped him. "That is not good enough. I need to know what is going on. Who is Linda? I want some answers. I saw your face when you came in, and you were scared. Something big is happening, and I want to be let in on it. Either tell me, or I will make Liz."

Bobby was unimpressed with Dean's show of manliness. "You won't make Liz tell you this," he insisted confidently.

Dean bowed up to him. "Really? Why is that?" he asked.

"Because I am asking you nicely to let it go. I will tell you everything in a few days, but I am trying to protect something that both needs and deserves protecting and you knowing would make it harder for me to do that."

"He deserves to know," Liz interrupted. "Everyone does. Besides, it might actually help protect him if he knew. If Tom captured him, he would be killed. Tom hates Dean, and he's trying to get me to make babies with Sam. We could prepare him to withstand their basic torture techniques and give him some information to bargain with."

"We don't have time for that, and you know it. If they capture Dean, they're going to kill him without asking questions. You know that also. Knowing our deep, dark secrets won't change that," Bobby replied angrily.

"You're right," Liz admitted. "I still think everyone needs to know. They are about to become involved in this thing, so I think they deserve to know what it is they are fighting for."

"You may be right, Liz, but I'm in charge. I'm telling you no. If you disobey me, I'll put you on the street. I don't have time to deal with rogue hunters right now."

"Don't threaten her," Dean chimed in.

"It wasn't a threat, boy; it was a promise. If she wants to try me, she'll find out how serious I am. The same conditions apply to you. Now, Liz, you can either follow me and help with Linda and the kids, or you can go pack your stuff and get out. It's your choice."

Liz rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be so dramatic," she complained.

"History has shown that I do if I want to get your attention."

They started out of the room with Dean in tow. Bobby stopped and glared at Dean. "Go away, Dean."

"Over my dead body," Dean replied.

"Let him come, Bobby. He'll meet them all soon enough, and it's not like we're doing anything secret."

Bobby sighed unhappily. "Whatever," he agreed finally.

They walked down the hall to Bobby's room. Linda and her six small children were huddled together on the bed.

A chorus of "Aunt Lindsey!" went up. Liz smiled and waved at the children. Linda sobbed in relief when she saw Liz. She jumped off the bed and pulled her into a hug.

"I was so worried about you. They got to Josh. He's in a coma at a hospital in Seattle. I didn't think I could risk staying there with him while the kids were there. I'm bringing them to you then I'm heading back."

"Linda, you can't go back there," Liz insisted. "I'll arrange for him to be transferred out here."

Linda worried at her bottom lip. "We can talk about it later, Lindsey--I mean Liz. It's so weird to be able to call you by your real name." She shook her head and looked at her children with a dazed look on her face. "The kids are really shaken up, so we need to take care of them."

"Okay. Why don't you let me do that?"

Linda nodded then looked behind Liz. "You must be Dean," she said, extending her hand to him. "I'm Linda. I've heard so much about you."

Dean looked at Linda and then at Liz uncertainly.

Liz bristled. "What? Don't look at me. She talks to Ellen all the time."

"You heard about me from Ellen?" Dean asked. "Well, I'm sure that was interesting. I hope you'll give me the chance to change your mind."

Linda smiled at that. "Liz is right. I did hear about you mainly from Ellen. I assure you they were mainly good things. Don't let Liz fool you, though, she has told me a thing or two about you over the years."

"So you knew she wasn't dead, too? Isn't that special?"

"If it's any consolation, I thought she was a bonehead to leave you."

A weak smile came onto Dean's face. "It is," he told her. "It's a small one, but it's something." He looked at Liz. "So, Ellen knew, too?"

Liz shook her head. "Linda called her for other reasons," she replied cryptically.

"Aunt Lindsey!!" the children said to get her attention. They were obviously bored with the adults' conversation.

"What?" Liz said, motioning for them to join her. The kids piled in around her.

Liz smiled and picked up the smallest of the children. "Hey, Jaden, what's up?"

"Daddy's hurt," Jaden replied with a rolled down lip.

"I heard about that, baby. I'm gonna make sure that he gets the best help that there is in the whole world, though. How does that sound?"

"Okay," Jaden replied tearfully.

"Aunt Lindsey," the youngest boy said, tugging on her shirt to get her attention, "I can count to a hundred. Wanna hear?"

"Be quiet, Chris," one of the girls said. "No one wants to hear you babble on." She turned to Liz. "I thought we weren't going to see you until Christmas."

Liz sat Jaden down. "Some things have changed, Isabelle," she explained. She looked behind Isabelle at Chris. "Chris, I would love to hear you count to one hundred. Can we do that later, though? Everyone's kind of shook up tonight."

Chris thought about it then nodded unhappily. "I guess, Aunt Lindsey."

"Good," she told him and stretched out her arms. "Now, come give me a hug."

Chris jumped into Liz's arms and hugged her fiercely.

"And Isabelle," Liz said as she put Chris down. "I know you don't think you're getting out of hugging me."

The girl smiled begrudgingly and allowed herself to be hugged. Liz smiled in amusement then turned to the two oldest children. "Mitch, Sofie, how are you?"

Sofie shrugged. "I'm okay," she said unconvincingly.

"What about you, Mitchell?"

"Is Daddy gonna be okay?" he asked tearfully.

Liz hugged him to her. "I don't know. I hope so."

"Me, too," he replied.

Liz continued hugging him for several more seconds then hugged Sofie. Sofie broke away quickly, and Liz let her. She turned to the last of the brood.

"Jodi, are you going to say hi to me?"

Jodi glanced down shyly. "Hello, Aunt Lindsey. Who's that?" she asked, pointing at Dean.

Liz glanced behind her at Dean, who was watching her. She smiled at him. "This is Dean. He's a very special friend of mine."

"But he made you cry," Isabelle said, stepping close to Liz and hugging her leg protectively. She peered around Liz's leg and shot Dean a mean look.

Liz untangled Isabelle from around her leg and squatted so they were eye level. "You're right, he did make me cry. It was an adult thing, though, and I deserved it." She glanced at Dean. "Isabelle is empathic," she explained.

Dean snorted and rolled his eyes. "Everyone has a super power anymore. I'm starting to feel left out."

Isabelle grabbed Liz's face and turned it so Liz was looking at her. "I don't think you deserve to cry, Aunt Lindsey," she chimed in. "He should say he's sorry."

Liz smiled patiently. "That's really not necessary, Bells."

"When you make someone cry, you have to say that you're sorry. Those are the rules, Aunt Lindsey."

"She's right, Liz," Dean said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. He looked into her eyes seriously. "I'm sorry that I made you cry."

"Now, tell him you forgive him."

Liz touched his face and left her hand resting on his cheek. "I forgive you, Dean. And I'm sorry, too. Not for what you think. I'm not sorry that I went away. I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to come back."

"Aunt Lindsey?" Isabelle asked.

Liz dropped her hand to her side. "Yes, dear," she said, kneeling in front of Isabelle again.

"Can I lay down now? I'm pretty tired."

Liz laughed. "Of course, you can, sweetie. We'll find you a room right now."

The rest of the day was spent in making arrangements for Linda and her family. Liz managed to get Josh transferred to a hospital within driving distance of Bobby's house, and Bobby worked on procuring rooms for the kids. Everyone was soon tapped to help watch the kids.

It was an exciting day for the children, but it caught up with them and they went to bed fairly early. All in all, Liz was happy. She'd worked hard, and she was ready to turn in.

She rounded a corner and ran into Roy. "Oh," she said. "Hey."

Roy smiled but there was no warmth to it. "Hello, Liz."

Liz swallowed. "I see you figured out where I went."

"That I did," Roy agreed.

Liz squealed as he picked her up by her throat and slammed her against the wall. He closed off her airway and held her in place as she fought against him.

"You made me look like a fool, Liz. I don't like being made a fool."

Liz slapped his hand, trying ineffectually to make him loosen his hold on her throat.

Roy just looked at her in disgust. "Never embarrass me again. Do we have a deal?"

Liz barely managed to nod.

Roy pressed harder against her throat then turned her loose. Liz stumbled away from him, sucking in deep breaths.

Roy watched her emotionlessly. "So, Bobby's called in the Calvary. Any idea why?"

Liz cleared her throat several times. "No," she choked out.

Roy laughed humorlessly. "You're lying," he stated. "I don't like it when people lie to me."

Liz increased the distance between them just as Roy moved to grab her again. She feinted away from him, eyes wide with fear. "Stay away from me!" she said in a shaky voice. "If you want to know why Bobby did something, ask him."

Roy took a step toward Liz. She jumped away from him, and he laughed. "Why so jumpy, Liz?" he wondered then left down the hall.

Liz waited until he was out of sight then hurried to her room and locked the door. She slid to the ground in front of it and tried to stop shaking.

XXX

Bobby visited Liz later that night.

"Liz, I don't want you to read too much into this, but I've put in calls to some hunters to bulk up our security. The first wave should be here by the morning."

Liz was sitting on her bed with her legs tucked under themselves. "I'm scared," she admitted. "If Tom were coming after just me, it would be one thing, but he's going after Linda and her kids. It's too much." She looked up at Bobby. "We have too much to lose, and I'm afraid we'll lose it."

Bobby sat down on the bed and wrapped an arm around her. Liz leaned against him and let her head rest on his shoulder. "That's why we've got to keep our heads about us, Liz. At some point, why you left is going to come out. Until then, we shouldn't be volunteering to bring more people in than need to be. We don't know who we can trust."

Liz made a choking sound. "You don't think we can trust Dean!?!" she asked. She moved away from Bobby, sizing him up.

Bobby sighed. "Of course, we can trust Dean," he replied. "You know how your brother can be, though. He's very powerful, and we don't know how many inroads he's made into the organization. If he thinks one of Linda's kids could be the chosen one, then we need to protect them to the best of our ability."

Liz stared off into the distance. "I know, Bobby. That's what we need to put our energy into. Tom's just idiotic enough to think that Linda might have given birth to the chosen one. We need to cover our bases, I know. I just…" She trailed off and looked at Bobby. "This is harder than I thought it was going to be."

Bobby knew she wasn't talking about protecting Linda and the kids. He patted her shoulder to comfort her. "He'll come around. He's hurt and confused and deserves some time to process everything. He loves you, though. That'll win in the end."

Liz laughed at the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "You should have had kids, Bobby," she told him.

Bobby snorted. "I have too many of them as it is," he replied with an affable smile. "Get some rest, Liz. You always need it."

"It's agony being so close to him and not being able to touch him when I want."

"Sleep, Liz. You need sleep."

Liz gave him a look. "You know I'm not going to be able to sleep," she said.

"Try, Liz. You need your rest so you can fight the curse for as long as possible."

Liz was fighting tears again. "I'll try," she promised.

She kept her promise, and soon she was asleep. For the first time in a long time, she didn't dream but slept peacefully until morning.


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Sorry that this chapter has taken so incredibly long to get to you. I've had issues, man. :) Anyway, I had to divide the chapter in half as it was more than 10,000 words and that just seemed insanely long as a chapter. Consequently, not as much happens in this chapter as I would have liked. Hope you enjoy nonetheless.

**Chapter Twelve**

Liz awoke to the sound of someone knocking at her door. She cracked her eyes open at the sound, groaned, then burrowed deeper into her pillows. The knocking continued, growing more insistent, until finally Bobby called to her through the door: "Get your lazy ass up, Liz!"

Liz did as he demanded, trudging to the door because she knew that Bobby wasn't going to leave her alone until she listened to whatever it was he had to say. She didn't even bother to smooth her hair down as she swung the door open. "What, Bobby?" she asked crankily. "I was sleeping like a baby."

Bobby snorted in amusement at the sight of her hair sticking up every which way from her head. "It's after ten," he pointed out. "I think you'll live." He thrust a cup filled with one of his smoothie concoctions into her hands and walked past her into the room. "Drink up, Liz. You need to keep up your strength."

Liz rolled her eyes but took a sip from the cup anyway. "Can't we just admit that these are no longer working and face the fact that I'm dying?" she asked and took another swallow of the drink.

Bobby stared at her with a bored expression on his face. "So after everything you've been through these past five years, you're just going to throw in the towel? What about Dean? I've listened to you mope and whine since the moment you left, and now you're ready to die without a fight? Remind me again why you came back here."

Liz glared at Bobby. "For the record," she rebutted angrily, "I'm not happy I'm dying. That doesn't change the fact that I am, though. And I'm not giving up. I'm just facing reality. The treatments haven't been working as well for a while now. I'm not even sure they're slowing it down at all anymore."

"So that's that, then?"

Liz's face hardened even more. "I _said_ I'm not giving up, and I meant it. I just got Dean back, and I don't want to lose him again. What I want and what's going to happen are not necessarily the same thing, though."

Bobby sighed. "We're always looking for a cure. You know that. Still, it hasn't been as high of a priority these last couple of years as it probably should have been. I'll have a couple of people work on only research again, though."

Liz's anger deflated as quickly as it had come. "There's not time for that," she replied. She looked haggard as she admitted it.

Bobby sat down on Liz's unmade bed, sighing wearily as he did so. "I know. And I know the treatments aren't working as well as they used to, but we've gotta keep trying. Do you have any idea what it'll do to Dean if he gets you back only to have to watch you die again?"

Liz nodded and sat on the bed opposite Bobby. She looked away from him guiltily. "I used to think I was a good person. The truth is I'm completely selfish. I came back here to die. Dean is my home, and I wanted to be with him when I gasped my last bit of air." She swallowed and forced herself not to cry. "That's a terrible thing to have to admit, but it's true. I never stopped to consider what it would do to Dean to have to watch me die again. I only thought of what I wanted. And I wanted him."

Bobby patted her knee comfortingly. "It doesn't matter whether you were right or wrong, Liz. You're here, and we have to deal with that. I called a press conference on your behalf. It starts at one. I want you and Dean to be there and hopefully get the media out of our hair. You were lucky last night that someone didn't see you kill that guy. We can't take that chance again."

Liz forced her emotions away. Her face was blank as she looked at Bobby. "Fine. I'll talk to Dean, and we'll take care of it."

Bobby looked doubtful. "You sure you don't want me to death with Dean? He's probably not in the mood to follow any orders from you."

Liz opened her mouth, angry retort on her tongue, but she snapped it closed before she said it. She took a deep breath and tried again. "If I ask him to, he'll help me."

Bobby's face softened. "I hope you're right about that. You should be prepared to be wrong, though, Liz. Dean's still pretty messed up over all this. You and I both know that when Dean's feeling vulnerable, he does stupid things."

Liz shrugged. "We'll see. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm not."

Bobby stood up slowly. His years as a hunter were obviously taking a toll on him. "I guess we will," he told her. Just like that, the subject was dropped "I'm gonna go draw up a schedule of shifts for everyone to take turns walking the perimeter. As hunters make it here, we'll add them to it. I'm not going to put you or Dean in the first rotation. I want to give the press a night or two to clear out before I send you out there."

"That's probably a good idea," Liz agreed. Bobby was at the door when Liz called after him. "I'll have Linda do another treatment tomorrow," she told him.

He smiled and seemed for once genuinely pleased. "I'm glad, Liz. Even if you only get two more months, that's two months you wouldn't have had before." His smile turned wry. "You'd better start getting ready. Dean might need some convincing."

Liz's eyes twinkled as she smiled back at Bobby. "It's like you've never met me, Bobby," she replied, grin widening. "He'll be putty in my hands."

Bobby laughed. "You're right. With a little determination, you can do just about anything."

Liz laughed with him. She waited for Bobby to leave then quickly dressed in a charcoal gray knee-length skirt and a long-sleeved, wine-colored silk shirt. When she looked in the mirror, she was a little shocked at how well put together the person reflected back at her was. Every pore of her mirror image exuded a confidence she didn't feel. She turned away from her reflection and put her heels on.

She decided to start with the living room in her search for Dean. It was the place to be and had become the unofficial meeting room over the years. When news needed to be delivered to the group, it was where everyone gathered to hear it.

Liz's instinct was right. She rounded the corner to the living room, and there Dean was regaling a group of newbie hunters with tales from the hunt.

"—and then the bitch came at me with a machete. A machete. Who has a—"

Liz cleared her throat to get Dean's attention. He kept his back to her as he acknowledged her. "Can I help you with something?" he asked.

The other hunter looked uncertainly from Liz to Dean and back again. She rolled her eyes at Dean's back. "Actually, you can. I need you to do something for me."

That got Dean's attention. He faced her, his eyebrow cocked in disbelief at her audaciousness. "Oh yeah? _You_ need _me_ to do something for you?"

Liz crossed her arms in front of her and smirked. "Yeah. I need you to go put on that suit that we both know is hanging in the back of your closet and come talk to the press with me."

Dean considered it. "You want me to put on a penguin suit and willingly throw myself to the lions? I think I'll pass."

Liz rolled her eyes again. "The term is monkey suit. And it's a business suit. There is a difference. As far as being thrown to the lions goes, I'll be right there with you. Those reporters are not going to accuse you of killing me when I'm in the room with you. We need the media to go away and give us some space."

Dean smirked. "So what you're saying is that Bobby ripped you a new one for killing that guy in the middle of a very public parking lot."

Liz looked annoyed. "He didn't 'rip me a new one,'" she insisted. "He just pointed out that I had acted rashly."

"Right. Because that sounds _so_ much like Bobby."

"Alright, alright," Liz conceded, "there may have been yelling involved. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," he replied dryly.

Liz stomped her foot impatiently. "So will you do it or not?"

Dean watched Liz fidget as she waited anxiously for his answer. He made her squirm for a few seconds before finally replying with a shrug. "Why not?"

Liz barely managed to keep him from seeing how relieved she was. "Good. Get dressed. The press conference is at one, and we have to drive there. I'll meet you in thirty minutes in the living room."

"Bobby has a fit anytime I even leave the premises. There ain't no way he's letting us drive across town by ourselves."

Liz shrugged. "That's why Alex and Cassie are coming with us. Safety in numbers."

"What-the-hell-ever," Dean replied, heading toward the hall that led to the bedrooms. "I'll be changing."

He started toward his room, but before he was halfway down the hall, a man appeared in one of the doorways and stopped him. Dean didn't know the man, but he looked to be about Bobby's age, though he had a hardened look that Bobby had mainly managed to avoid. He had had dark hair at one time, but gray had long since streaked it through so that more salt than pepper remained. His eyes looked black, but Dean thought that might just be due to the limited lighting in the hallway. The muscles on the man's arms were tight and corded, and he was clearly a hunter. He had an angry scowl on his face that Dean didn't understand the reason for.

"So you're Dean Winchester?" the man inquired gruffly.

Dean sighed. He wasn't sure why the man was asking for him, but he didn't feel like messing with him regardless. "Yeah, I'm Dean Winchester. Who are you?"

The man looked put out. "I'm Roy Stanton. I'm a friend of Bobby's."

A light went off in Dean's head. "Oh, so you're a part of the group Bobby called in. I can see why he included you. You look badass"

Roy sneered at Dean. "Given your choice of company, I can't say the same for you."

Dean was taken aback by the comment. It had been a long time since another hunter had been openly hostile toward him. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Roy glared at him. "John Winchester's boy in love with a Barrister and toeing the line doing whatever she says. I'm sure John's real proud of you wherever he is." The sarcasm was thick in Roy's voice.

"You don't know anything about it," Dean protested hotly.

Roy rolled his eyes. "Save it for someone who doesn't know the little bitch," he told Dean.

"Don't talk about Liz that way!" Dean insisted angrily, grabbing a handful of Roy's shirt and shoving him against the wall.

Roy batted away Dean's hands and smoothed his shirt out. "Well, maybe you should put a tighter leash on her," he replied. He threw Dean a look that challenged him to do something about what he'd said. Dean started to do just that when Liz appeared at the end of the hallway.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "We need to go." Her expression became closed off when she realized that Roy was standing with Dean. She rubbed her throat absently as she walked closer to the pair.

Dean casually shifted so that he was between Roy and Liz. "I was about to change, and this jerk was just leaving."

Roy looked like the cat that ate the canary. "Hello, Liz," he said.

"I thought you might have left," she replied, glancing away from his intense gaze.

Roy smirked. "Like I would have given you the satisfaction."

Liz rolled her eyes at him, openly annoyed. Before she could respond, a voice from behind her froze her in place.

"How the hell are you, princess?"

Liz spun around, alarmed by the voice from the past. Sheila stood behind her, every bit as annoying as she had been all those years ago when Liz had met her. There was a giant grin on her face as she waited for Liz to respond.

"Sheila." It was all Liz could bring herself to say.

Sheila's grin widened. "Did you miss me, princess? I sure did miss making you speechless."

Dean snorted. "What is it with today and jackasses?" he wondered aloud.

"Well, you're here," Sheila rebutted. "Why don't you tell me?"

Dean glared at her. "Funny. I guess now we've got another bitch to round out the count."

Sheila cocked her head thoughtfully. "Is Liz the other bitch in this scenario?" she questioned.

Dean shook his head. "Liz is the lying bitch. You're slightly higher than her."

Sheila grinned at Dean. "Well, I guess you've got a type," she told him. To Liz, she said, "I think he really must be pissed if I rate higher than you."

"Tell me something I don't know," Liz replied unhappily.

Sheila shrugged and nodded toward Roy. "Who's this asshole?"

"One of Bobby's hunter friends," Liz explained. "I'm assuming he's here for the same reason you are."

"To protect your delicate ass, you mean?"

Liz laughed. "I doubt _he's_ here for that, actually."

"Then why are you here, gruffy?" Sheila asked Roy.

Roy scowled at her. "You're a disgrace."

Sheila looked amused. "He's personable, huh?"

"A ray of sunshine on a cloudy day," Liz deadpanned.

Roy stomped away with the sound of Sheila's laughter following him. When he was out of sight, Sheila turned her attention back on Liz. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for my son," she said, suddenly serious.

Liz's face reddened. "I didn't do anything," she insisted.

Sheila pursed her lips. "You saved his life," she argued. "I owe you one. I owe you more than one."

Liz glanced at Dean uncomfortably and back at Sheila, pleading with her eyes for Sheila to stop the conversation. "He was a little kid. I didn't do it for you."

"I wouldn't have done it for me, either, after what I put you through when you first met me," Sheila admitted. "I'm just thankful you didn't make my son pay for me being such a bitch to you."

"Don't make more of it than it was. We saved plenty of people that day."

Sheila was dubious. "You're trying to get me to believe that the fact that my son was there had _nothing_ to do with your decision to rescue those kids from your brother? 'Cause Bobby told me it was your idea when I asked him about it today."

Liz blew out an annoyed breath. "Fine. It was my idea. I don't know what's so surprising about it, though. He was a little kid. I wasn't going to stand by and let my brother brainwash him and use him against you."

"I would have," Sheila confessed. "I'm here now because you didn't. Not to be melodramatic, but I'll follow you to the ends of the earth if you ask me to."

"We have to go," Liz said, pulling Dean along by his arm.

Sheila grinned knowingly. "I guess you two have some lost time to make up for, huh?" she called after them.

Liz ignored her and pulled Dean toward his room. He allowed himself to be dragged for a moment, then pulled his arm out of her grasp.

"I know where my room is, and I can get there without your help. I'll be ready in a minute. I want to get away from you as quick as I can, so I don't want to drag this out any longer then I have to."

Liz tried to hide the hurt she felt at his comment, but it flashed on her face for a moment anyway. "Fine," she said. "Get dressed, and I'll go get Alex and Cassie. We'll meet you at the car."

Dean looked indecisive for a moment like he wanted to take back what he had said. He walked into his bedroom instead. He stopped in the doorway. "What's with your clothes?"

Liz looked down at herself. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"It's the middle of summer, Liz, and you're wearing long sleeves. I don't think I've seen you in short sleeves since you've been back."

Liz looked at her covered arms as though she were seeing them for the first time. "I haven't exactly had time to go shopping," she replied.

Dean shrugged and went into his room and shut the door behind him. Liz watched the door swing close then headed in the opposite direction.

XXX

Cassie hovered nervously at the doorway to the room where Dean and Liz were in the middle of their press conference. She paced back and forth in front of it a few times then stopped and wrung her hands. "She's nervous. He's making her nervous. I don't like it, and I don't like him."

Alex glanced at Dean and Liz. Liz did look nervous, but there was nothing that Dean was actively doing to make that happen. He seemed content to stand at her side while she directed which questions were answered and how. Alex made a face at Cassie. "Amen, sister!" he replied sarcastically. "Damn him for standing there dumbly beside her while a bazillion reporters jostle one another to try to get his attention. It's a good thing there's nothing stressful happening so that we can tell that _he's_ the reason she's unnerved."

Cassie glared at Alex. "I'm telling you _he's_ the reason she's nervous. I've never seen her like that before."

"Right. And you've seen her at _so_ many press conferences before."

Cassie puffed up angrily. "Shut up, Alex," she pouted.

"Fine," he replied.

They both quieted to watch the press conference.

"She's doing a good job," Alex commented after several moments of silence between them. He turned to Cassie. "Think all these reporters are just going to go away?"

Cassie met his gaze. "Not a chance."

Alex sighed. "That's what I was thinking. Liz isn't gonna want to hear that."

Cassie grinned. "Luckily, it's no longer our job to tell her," she pointed out. She watched Liz and Dean for a moment longer. "I still hate him."

Alex smirked. "You hate Dean. How surprising. There's nothing he could do to make you like him. Admit that to yourself at least. And while you're at it, admit something else: you haven't seen her this affected by anything or anyone, _ever_. By the time Bobby decided to pair her with you, she was practically a zombie. I doubt you changed that."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Cassie insisted. "Liz wasn't like that when I knew her."

"Oh, really? So the two of you did more than quietly do the job?"

Alex could tell the moment that Cassie conceded his point. Her face fell and the fight went out of her. "No, sometimes she would get sloppy drunk, and I'd have to go scrape her off the floor and help her home."

Alex threw an arm over her shoulder. "Cheer up. That's more than I got out of her most days."

Cassie shook his arm off of her. "I still don't like Dean," she said stubbornly.

Alex's good humor sobered. He turned and watched Liz and Dean soldier through the press's relentless questioning. "You don't have to like him," he told Cassie. "You will have to protect him, though."

Cassie unhappily looked Dean over. "I know."

Alex shifted his attention to Cassie so that he could gauge her reaction to his next question. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Cassie didn't respond right away. "I don't know," she admitted quietly after a moment.

Alex nodded his understanding. He thought the subject dropped when Cassie did not elaborate, so he let his gaze wander back to Liz and Dean.

Cassie wasn't finished yet, however. "Oh, I'll do my job and protect him from any physical harm that I can. Not because I have to but because Liz want it. If I've learned anything these past few years, though, it's that the physical stuff heals far more quickly than the other stuff. Liz has a way of tying me all up in knots. A part of me—a part I don't like that much—hopes the two of them do that to one another. It hopes that they twist one another up so tightly and hurt one another so badly that they can't come back from it. That part of me feels like they'll be getting what they deserve if that happens."

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "Dean's a good man. You'd wish that on a good man?" There was no accusation to the question just curiosity.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Dean's _not_ a good man. He does good things for reasons that are dubious at best. There's nothing altruistic about the way he operates. His dad taught him to be a hunter, so he is. That's the only reason he does it, and that doesn't make him a good person."

"What about Liz?"

"What about her?"

"Do you think she's a good person?"

Cassie sighed. "I think she wants to be."

"And you don't think Dean wants to?"

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know what I think."

"Hmm. Do you think you're a good person?" Alex wondered.

"Absolutely not," Cassie answered without hesitation. "I used to be, but I haven't been one in a long time."

Alex didn't get a chance to respond because Liz and Dean walked up at that moment. Dean was tugging at his tie, and Liz looked anxious.

"Did we do okay?" she wondered.

Cassie turned away, rolling her eyes as she did so, and left it for Alex to field the question.

"You were fine," Alex reassured her distractedly.

Liz noticed the eye roll and the distraction. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking worriedly back and forth between Alex and Cassie.

Alex didn't take his eyes off of Cassie. "Nothing," he replied. "Let's get the two of you back. Bobby'll be mad if we linger."

"He'll understand," Liz insisted. "What's going on?"

"He said nothing's wrong, Liz," Dean chimed in. "Let's go."

"Let's," Cassie agreed. She walked past Liz, bumping against her as she past her.

Liz looked tired. "So Cassie's still mad at me, huh?"

Alex shrugged. "Something like that."

Liz started to say something else, but Alex cut her off. "We need to get you and Dean, especially Dean, out of here. We can deal with this later."

Liz nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

XXX

Sam was bone tired after a morning and part of an afternoon spent fortifying Bobby's property and watching for any kind of enemy activity. There had been none. That worried San as he went to find Bobby to report on the day. He found him in the kitchen with a set of reports spread out on the table in front of him. Sam got a glass of water and sat in the seat across from Bobby.

"It's been quiet, Bobby," he said. "Too quiet if you ask me. I don't think that guy Liz killed last night was anything more than a distraction. Tom knows where we are and he knows he could come and get us without too much of a fight. Why isn't he building up his army outside of your property line and waiting for us to make a mistake? It's not possible exposure. He owns the media, so he could make them go away if he wanted to."

Bobby sighed and looked up from his reports. "I know, Sam. It worried me, too. He's got something up his sleeve to be so calm about this."

"So what are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know," Bobby replied. "It's kinda hard to prepare when you don't know what's about to come at you."

"Liz might have an idea," Sam suggested. He ignored the flutter in his stomach when he said her name. "I'll go get her if you want."

Bobby shook his head. "Nah. I'll ask her about it later. She busy right now."

Sam looked confused. "I thought the press conference was over. I'm pretty sure I saw Dean training with the girls a few minutes ago."

"The press conference is over."

"Then what's Liz doing?"

"Business that's none of yours, boy," Bobby replied.

XXX

Dean knew better than to snoop in Bobby's office when he wasn't there, but he needed a clip for his gun and he didn't feel like tracking Bobby down so he used the key he had and let himself in. He made a beeline for the ammunition closet but pulled up short when he noticed Liz asleep on the couch Bobby had put in for all those nights he was working into the wee hours of the morning.

"Are you sleeping!?!" Dean exclaimed, disbelief coloring his voice. "It's the middle of the afternoon!" His voice boomed in the quiet room.

The noise caused Liz to wake. She cracked her eyes open and stretched then relaxed against the pillows for a moment as she watched Dean sleepily.

Dean grew concerned as he watched her sluggishly awaken. "It's 3:30," he pointed out. He gestured with his hands to emphasize his point.

Liz glanced at the clock. "So it is," she replied unconcernedly.

"Is something wrong with you?" he asked, hating himself for the note of alarm he could hear in his voice.

Liz yawned and sat up. She pulled her knees in and locked her arms around them. "I'm fine. I'm just adjusting to the new time zone is all. Jet lag can be real a bitch."

Dean was unconvinced. "You sure that's all it is?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Liz replied defensively.

"I don't believe you," Dean insisted. "Sam might be better with people, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. You're lying. I can tell."

Liz shrugged. "Maybe I am."

"So stop."

Liz changed the subject. "Can I try something?" she asked.

Dean considered her uncertainly. "As long as I don't have to sign my kidney over to a demon or something like that," he replied warily.

Liz smiled a little as she stood up and grabbed his arm, running her fingers over the mark on his wrist. Sensation exploded up both of their arms. She tossed her head back as the pleasure swept through her, and her breathing became suddenly labored. "I knew it," she said breathily.

Dean pulled his arm away from her. "What the hell was that, Liz?" he asked, voice shaking as he sucked in breaths to calm the staccato tempo his heart had adopted.

Liz's eyes were lidded as she watched him. "Your mark recognizes me," she explained.

"Well, isn't that special," he said sarcastically. Liz leaned in to kiss him, but he stopped her. "You can't just kiss this and make it all better."

Liz sighed. She stood up straight, repentance all over her face. "I'm sorry, Dean," she said softly.

He laughed his disbelief. "You're sorry? _You're_ sorry? No, Liz, _I'm_ sorry. I'm sorry that I ever got involved with you. I'm sorry that you're here. You should have stayed dead." His voice cracked at the last as his eyes filled with tears that he violently rubbed away.

Tears filled Liz's eyes as well. "I'm sorry. I'll leave as soon as we get this mess sorted out. I—"

"Don't," he cut her off harshly, grabbing her and pulling her flush against him. "I…I don't want you to leave." He put his forehead against hers. "Don't you dare leave," he choked out.

Tears spilled down Liz's face as she hugged him to her. He returned the hug, gripping her tightly. "I missed you so much, Dean," she told him. "I'm so sorry."

"Am I interrupting something?" Alex asked from behind them. Liz squeezed Dean one last time then let him go. He nonchalantly ran his hand over his face and cleared his throat while she turned to Alex.

"Have you ever noticed that people only ask that when it's obvious that they are interrupting something?" she replied irritably.

Alex grinned at her. "I didn't realize you weren't alone." He nodded toward Dean. "If you and Romeo here are done, I need to talk to you." When no one moved, Alex looked pointedly at Dean. "Preferably alone."

Liz pursed her lips. "Maybe I'm not done."

"Maybe you will be after I tell you that some girl named Jo is looking for Dean," Alex informed her smugly.

Dean tensed. "I guess she and Jeremy finally made it," he muttered distractedly. He caught Liz's attention. "I'd better go see what she wants."

Liz held her tongue, only managing to nod her okay. Dean left without a backward glance. Liz watched him, trying to keep the worry and jealousy she was feeling from showing on her face as she turned back to Alex, who was grinning like a fool.

"So, who's Jo?" he wanted to know.

"None of your business," Liz snapped.

Alex laughed. "So she's a person of interest in the never-ending drama of your life, huh?"

"What do you want, Alex?" Liz asked wearily.

"Nothing. Ellen decided to bring the bar to the hunters tonight instead of the hunters to the bar. She thought that might be safer, and I agree. Anyway, some of the teenyboppers want to hear you sing because they've heard Dean talk about you for so long that they're curious. I was just coming to see if you have any requests."

Liz was horrified. "I'm not singing tonight," she insisted.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Of course you will," he replied.

"No, I'm not."

"Don't be stupid. You love to sing, so you should."

"I haven't sang not even a note in years. I'm not going to break that tonight."

"Not even for Dean?" Alex wondered.

Liz glared at him. "Dean doesn't want to hear me sing."

"If you say so," Alex said. He waited a beat before bringing up the other subject he wanted to discuss with her. "Could you do me a favor and go hang out with Cassie? She's kind of having a hard time with all of this. One moment, she's commiserating with Dean. The next, she wants to flay him alive. I think it'd be a good idea for you to unruffle her feathers. She's angry at you and doesn't want to be, so she's taking it out on Dean."

"Wow, there's something that's surprising," Liz replied sarcastically.

Alex gave her a disapproving look. "Be nice to Cassie," he demanded.

"I _am_ nice to Cassie," Liz argued.

"Except when you aren't," Alex rebutted.

Liz rolled her eyes. "I'll go talk to her. Happy?"

"You have no idea," Alex replied.

XXX

Even though she really didn't feel like dealing with Cassie, Liz went to find her. She stumbled across Jo instead. She was perched on the edge of the porch, shoulders shaking as she cried silently. "Hi, Jo," Liz said as much to alert Jo to her presence as anything.

Jo hurriedly wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat before glancing at Liz. "Hey, Liz," she replied. There was a long and awkward pause before Jo continued. "I was glad to hear you aren't dead."

"Were you?" Liz answered, keeping her voice even.

Jo laughed humorlessly. "So, I'm pretty sure that Dean and I are over. He told me that you know about…us, so I thought I'd clue you in that it's over. It's better that we just make a clean break." Jo sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as anybody.

Liz sat down beside Jo. "I don't know how to respond to that. I'm _not_ going to lie and tell you how sorry I am for you because I don't feel bad for you. What you and Dean were doing was pretty reprehensible. I know there are two sides to every story and all that, but I really don't care. Go back to your husband and leave Dean alone."

Tears filled Jo's eyes again. "I know I've done some awful things these past couple of years. They're things I can't take back. Honestly, though, I'm not sure I'd take them back if I could. I just…I was so lonely. It's my own fault. I know that. I married Jeremy thinking he would make what I feel for Dean go away, but he didn't. Then Dean showed up on my doorstep drunk and everything changed."

"Dean has a problem, doesn't he?" she asked Jo.

Jo cast her gaze downward. "He has had one for awhile. I tried to talk to him about it, but he wasn't ever that interested in anything I had to _say_."

Liz couldn't stop her lip from curling. "If I need you, will you be there for him?" she asked.

Jo looked up. "Always," she said. A self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and she ducked her head sheepishly. "He's always gonna come between us, you know."

Liz leaned against the porch railing. "I know," she acknowledged.

Jo sighed. "I'm such a horrible bitch," she said.

Liz laughed. "You really are," she agreed.

"Hey!"

Liz shrugged. "Well, you are."

"I really am," she admitted.

Liz patted her shoulder. "It's going to be okay," she told her.

There were tears in Jo's eyes as she answered, "You don't know that."

Liz shrugged. "Fair enough. Wanna help me set up for the big party they're having tonight?"

Jo wiped her face with her hands. "Why not? It's got to be better than sitting on the porch crying."


	14. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** I've actually had this chapter finished and beta read since last Thursday. Unfortunately, I have limited opportunities to post things, so I'm just now getting it up. Sorry about that. Anyway, this was originally the last half of Chapter 12, so things that may have seemed strange or unexplained might make a little more sense after this. Oh, and Liz sings again. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I listened to the Young Guns II Soundtrack and the thought of someone singing one of those songs about or to Dean and the subsequent funny in my head was just too much to not include the scene. Thanks for humoring me. The song is "Never Say Die" by Jon Bon Jovi.

**Chapter Thirteen**

"I can't be in charge of anything to do with Jo!" Liz told Bobby. She hurried into his office and shut the door hard behind her.

Bobby looked up from the plate of steak and potatoes he was eating at his desk. "What's wrong now?" he wondered wearily.

"Do you ever do anything but eat and plan jobs?" she asked, a touch of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah, I deal with drama in my hunters' lives," he replied dryly. "What'd Jo do to tick you off now?"

"Other than my husband?" Liz replied sassily. She sat down with a sigh. "I'm being very nice to her, but inside I want to poke her eyeballs out."

Bobby shrugged. "Makes sense to me, Liz. The woman's been having an affair with your husband."

Liz wrung her hands agitatedly. "I need to rise above it. We need to be on the same page and get along because we need all the help we can get. If we're all fighting, then Tom automatically has an advantage."

Bobby shook his head. "Liz, you're being stupid. Ignoring how you feel about Jo is not going to make us stronger. It's just going to make it that much worse when you finally do deal with all those feelings."

Liz looked torn. "It feels like I don't have the right to be upset. Dean thought I was dead."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "You're human, Liz. It doesn't matter whether you 'have the right' to feel a certain way. You can't help if you do. It's okay that you feel possessive and jealous. You need to deal with it, though."

"I'm not jealous of her!" Liz said a little too quickly and a little too strongly.

Bobby made a disbelieving face at her. "Really? So if Dean and Jo found a quiet little corner and decided to relive a few memories, you…"

"…would kill him," Liz finished. "He wouldn't have to worry about Tom because I'd finish him here and now."

Bobby smiled. "But you're not jealous."

Liz glared at him. "Shut up," she pouted. She crossed her arms angrily. "Fine. Okay. Whatever. I'm jealous. And it's natural to feel the way I do and all that. Will you please take responsibility for all assignments relating and pertaining to Jo? I can't trust that I will be disinterested when it comes to her."

"You'll be fine," Bobby insisted.

"Okay," Liz replied, "but if I assign her to a four-month detail in Uzbekistan, you have no one to blame but yourself."

Bobby laughed. "Deal."

XXX

"Hey, Sam," Dean greeted as Sam came into the kitchen. Dean was nursing a beer at the table in his quest to not be wherever Liz was.

Sam grabbed himself a beer and sat down across from Dean. "Hey."

"I haven't seen you much lately."

Sam shrugged. "I figured you and Liz might need some time to…" The words stuck in his throat. "…get reacquainted."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, right. I've been avoiding her like the plague half the time and bumbling like an idiot in front of her the rest of the time. I think _not_ being alone with her is the best thing that can happen for me right now."

"You say that, but you don't mean it," Sam argued. "You know as well as I do that you're still crazy in love with her."

"You going to their makeshift bar tonight?" Dean asked to change the subject.

Sam shrugged. "Probably." He listened for a moment. "It's quiet around here with everyone down at the barn setting up, huh?"

"It'll end soon enough," Dean predicted.

"It's kinda nice."

Dean shrugged. "I guess. I'm so used to the noise that it seems like something's wrong when it's quiet."

"It's nice," Sam insisted. "Lauren likes the quiet."

Dean made a face. "Speaking of the devil, where is she?"

"She's at a conference," Sam replied. He tried to keep the worry from his voice, but Dean could tell he was upset.

"When's she getting here?"

Sam gulped a swig of beer down. "She said her job was more important than our little fantasies. She said she wasn't going to take the chance of screwing up her shot at the promotion she's wanted over some little green men that Bobby and you dreamed up. She said I could do want I wanted, but that she thought it was more important to keep my job than to keep appeasing you."

Dean snorted in disgust. "Because you appease me _so_ often," he said.

Sam shrugged. "That's just what she said. I tried to tell her that this was different, but she was quick to recall that incident a couple years ago when we had everyone on lockdown and it turned out to be nothing."

"You know, you don't make me like her any more when you tell me these stories," Dean replied.

"I know," Sam said. "Try to see her side, though. She doesn't fully know what it is we do, and I only give her partial information. She doesn't think there's anything to worry about."

"Do you?" Dean wondered.

Sam nodded. "I think there's a lot to worry about. If she doesn't come home by next week, I'm going to get her and bring her back."

"Did you lose your job to come here?"

"No," Sam reassured him. "My hours are pretty flexible because my boss feels indebted to me for doing an exorcism last year on his daughter."

Dean started. "I didn't know about that. You should have called me. I could have helped."

"It wasn't a big deal," Sam insisted. "I let Bobby know what I was doing, but I didn't want to bother you because you seemed like you had enough to deal with at the time."

"Meaning what?" Dean asked defensively. "You think I can't do the job?"

Sam shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that, Dean. It's just…if you were going to help, I needed you to be sober. I couldn't be sure that you could promise that."

Dean clenched his jaw angrily. "You—"

"There you are!" Katy said. She came into the kitchen and tugged Dean's arm until he stood. "I've been looking for you everywhere! The party's starting, and you guys _have_ to come. I think Alex is going to get Liz to sing. At least, he said he would try. And several of the girls are going to sing. And everyone else will be there. And—"

"We'll be there," Sam interrupted.

Katy crossed her arms in front of her. "No, you'll come now."

Dean rolled his eyes. He grabbed his beer and finished it off in one last swig. "Fine, we'll go now."

They followed Katy to the barn, realizing as they entered that they were some of the last ones to arrive. The tables were pretty much filled. Katy waved at them to follow her. She weaved through the crowd to a table at the front and sat down. There were two open seats for Dean and Sam, and after hesitating for a moment, they sat in them.

Dean glanced around, looking to see if Liz was somewhere in the barn already. He saw her on the other side of the room sitting with Alex and Cassie. She met his gaze when he looked at her, and he quickly jerked his head so he was looking at Sam.

Liz kept staring at Dean. When Alex leaned near her ear and asked her if she was ready to sing, she jumped.

"You scared me, Alex," she told him, trying to calm the sudden racing of her heart.

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "So are you ready for your singing debut?"

Liz hesitated. "No one wants to hear me sing," she insisted. "And besides, it's been years since I last sang even a note."

Alex grinned. "The teenyboppers want to hear you sing, and I promised them that I would get you to. Apparently, Dean has regaled them with tales of your siren song so much that they can't wait to see if you're as good as he says."

Liz looked terrified. "I just told you I haven't sang in years! There's no way that I am going to live up to whatever he's told them"

Alex had her where he wanted her, even though she didn't know it. "So you're just going to let everyone think that you were too scared to sing one little song? That doesn't speak too highly of you as a leader."

Liz rolled her eyes. "I don't give in to emotional blackmail."

"I want to hear you sing," Cassie chimed in. "I didn't even know you could, but now that I do, I want to hear you. I'm sure Dean wants you to sing, too."

"Oh, fine," Liz said finally. "I can see no one's going to leave me alone until I sing. Might as well get this over with."

Alex smirked. "So what you meant to say was that you don't give in to _my_ emotional blackmail. Cassie is another story entirely."

"Oh, shut up, Alex," Liz told him playfully.

Alex laughed as he followed her to the microphone and logged onto his laptop. He handed Liz a sheet of lyrics then started setting everything up.

Liz scanned the sheet and laughed. "Is this what you want me to sing?" she asked amusedly.

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

Liz shook her head. "You said you had Dean in mind when you chose this?"

Alex nodded. "What's so funny about that?"

"Dean reminds you of a Bon Jovi song?"

Alex looked confused. "So?"

Liz grinned. "You know how you want Dean to like you?"

Alex nodded.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore. It's not going to happen."

"Why? I was being funny."

Liz tried to keep her amusement in check. "I'm not sure he'll get the funny," she told him.

"Should I choose something else?" Alex wondered.

Liz shook her head. "It'll be fine. Start the music."

Alex took the microphone and used it to get everyone's attention. "I know there were some doubts out in the crowd that I would actually come through and get Liz to perform. But, like most women, she couldn't help but succumb to my natural charm."

Liz took the microphone away from Alex. "We need waders tonight, guys," she said into the mike. She stuck her tongue out playfully at Alex when he scowled at her. She laughed as he winked at her then she turned back to the crowd with a good-natured roll of her eyes. Her playfulness fell away and she gulped as she looked at the sea of faces staring back at her.

"So," she began, "you need to know two things: Alex picked this song out with Dean in mind, and I haven't sang in over five years and the thought of doing it now terrifies me."

Alex laughed and took the microphone from her again. "Yeah, well, I haven't sang in front of anyone in all of my thirty-three years, and I'm singing backup for you. I've got you beat, so suck it up and sing."

Liz shrugged. "Fine," she replied.

"Good." Alex hit a button and the sound of music filled the air.

Liz picked up on cue:

_As we stood there older than the men  
__And younger than the boys (that's right)  
__We were as still as the wind  
__That blows on a hot August night  
__And you were lonesome  
__As a jukebox  
__But deadly just the same  
__I could be as gentle as a newborn  
__Then spit into the eye of a hurricane_

Liz started out a little woodenly, but she soon got into the swing of things. A childhood of performing came back to her, and she started really hamming it up and getting the crowd into it.

_And we knew how to laugh  
__And we knew how to cry  
__Yeah, we sure knew how to live  
__But we don't ever  
__Never say die  
__Never say die_

_I guess you'd say we had a pact  
__These words we knew so well (that's right)_

Alex looked at her as he chimed in with the echo. He was trying hard to keep from laughing until he noticed the bruising on Liz's neck. The smile fell from his face and it was all he could do to stay focused enough to finish the song. Liz didn't notice Alex's change of humor, so she kept on singing as if nothing had happened.

_Still they remained unspoken  
__And we'd take them to the fiery  
__Gates of hell  
__Once I was afraid of love  
__But when it's your brother  
__Those things change  
_'_Cause love is just another word  
__For trust  
__So hear me when I say_

_Never say die  
__Never say no  
__You got to look them in the eye  
__And don't let go  
__When it's your own blood you'll bleed  
__And your own tears you'll cry  
__When you're brought up to believe  
__That it's the strong who survive  
__Never say die_

_Yeah, we could run like lightning  
__Through the pouring rain  
__And we'll be standing like a soldier  
__Who comes marching home again_

Liz collapsed in giggles when the instrumental section started. She got her laughter under control but then caught sight of Dean's glare burning a hole into Alex, and she broke down again. "I can feel the love," she told Alex, nodding toward Dean.

Alex tried to laugh with her, but it was a halfhearted attempt. He didn't miss a cue, though.

_They ask what it is that I want written  
__(They ask what it is that I want written)  
__On the gravestone where I'll lie  
__(On the gravestone where I'll lie)  
__Tell them it's just my bones  
__That died there  
__(Tell them it's just my bones that died there)  
__So save the tears they'll cry  
__(So save the tears they'll cry)_

_My spirit is still riding  
__Somewheres in this night  
__When it's these three words that come to me  
__As I kiss this world goodbye_

_Never say die  
__Never say no  
__You got to look them in the eye  
__And don't let go  
__When it's your own blood you'll bleed  
__And your own tears you'll cry  
__When you're brought up to believe  
__That it's the strong who survive  
__Never say die_

As the music was fading, Liz started laughing again. "Thank you! Thank you!" she told the crowd as they applauded. She turned to Alex. "It was a lot of fun. I'm glad I did it."

"I'm glad you're glad," he replied almost angrily. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the side of the room to a place where not many people were mingling. "What happened to your neck?" he asked.

Liz unconsciously covered her neck with her hand. "Nothing," she said defensively.

Alex clenched his jaw angrily. "If Dean did something to you, Liz…"

"He didn't."

"But if he did, you could—"

"He didn't!!"Liz insisted.

Alex put his hands on his hips. "Well, who did, then?"

Liz squared off with him. "None of your business."

"Liz—"

"What's going on?" Dean interrupted, drawing both of their attention to him.

Alex got in his face. "Did you do that to Liz?" he demanded.

"Did I do what to Liz?" Dean asked confusedly.

Liz shoved between the two men. "Alex, stop! Dean could kill you without even trying. Maybe you should consider that before you get in his face."

"It doesn't matter, Liz. If he hurt you, I'm gonna—"

"For the last time, Dean didn't hurt me! What do I have to do to get that through your skull? You're starting to piss me off, Alex."

Dean noticed the bruises and pushed Liz's head to the side so he could inspect them better. "What happened, Liz?" he asked. "Who did that?"

Liz met his concerned look with a determined one. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I can take care of myself."

Dean stared at her. "Okay."

Alex exhaled a disbelieving laugh. "Unbelievable," he muttered and stomped off. Neither Liz nor Dean stopped him.

"What's going on?" Dean asked. "That's a pretty nasty bruise."

Liz sighed. "Roy did it. I didn't want to tell Alex because Roy's his dad. He has to deal with enough crap because of that."

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "Alex came from _that_ asshole? I mean, don't get me wrong, Alex is annoying, but he's a hell of a lot better than Roy."

"Of course he is," Liz agreed. "I'm sure you can imagine what kind of a father Roy was. Alex didn't have a very fun childhood."

Dean watched her closely. "So that's why you have such a soft spot for the guy?"

Liz looked annoyed. "That's one of the reasons."

Insecurity flooded Dean's face. "You didn't...There's nothing...Nothing happened between the two of you that I should worry about, did it?"

Liz pushed away the resentment she felt at the question. "No," she reassured him. She reached out to brush her fingers across Dean's cheek, but he flinched away from her.

Roy appeared in her peripheral vision. "Trouble in paradise?" he asked with a smug smile.

Liz clenched her jaw and rounded on him. "I've had enough of you today. Leave me alone."

Roy laughed. "No."

Liz lost it and punched Roy in the face. "Stay out of my business, you son of a bitch!"

Roy reared back his fist to return her assault, but Dean caught his hand and twisted it behind him. "You don't want to do that," he told him calmly.

Roy scowled. "You had better unhand me, boy," he said, tugging against Dean's grip.

Dean twisted Roy's arm a little harder then turned him loose, shoving him away. "And you'd better cool your heels and leave Liz alone. While you're at it, leave Alex alone, too. He's a decent person. He doesn't need you screwing him up anymore than I'm sure you already have."

"Raise your own kids," Roy spat at him. "Oh, that's right, you don't have any."

"I think it's time to sleep it off, Roy," Bobby interjected. He stepped in the middle of the three of them. "What's going on here?" he asked.

"Your buddy there choked Liz," Dean explained angrily.

Bobby turned Liz's head to the side so he could see the evidence. "You should have told me about that, Liz," he scolded.

Liz shied away from Bobby. "It's not a big deal. He was pissed at me for drugging him and leaving him in Europe. I figured that was the end of it. I didn't tell you because I can handle myself and you have other things on your plate right now. Bigger things."

"I'm not too busy for this, Liz. He hurt you and that needs to be addressed."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Stop acting like this is some Lifetime movie of the week where I'm the victim of domestic abuse. Roy may be an ass, but he's a good hunter. We need all the help we can get, and regardless of what he did to me, he's on our side. If I had come to you with this, you would have kicked him out, and we just can't afford that right now."

She turned to Roy. "If you ever touch me again, I'll leave you to the mercy of Dean," she said loudly enough that the whole room could here it. "Trust me: you'd be better off with me."

"Of course I would," Roy replied. "Dean's your little lapdog, doing whatever you say without question. You don't have to explain yourself or anything to him."

"You should walk away from me right now," Dean told Roy through clenched teeth. He made sure Roy walked away then turned to Liz. "He's got a point, though, Liz," he told her. He was talking loud enough that most of the room could hear him. Those who couldn't quickly pushed in closer. "You came back here just expecting everyone to accept you back into the fold like nothing had happened. I think we've all been curious about what you, my dear, darling wife, have been up to for the past five years. I know I sure have. I got to thinking earlier about something Tom said, and I realized that you have to tell me if I ask." He ignored the pleading look Liz was giving him. "What have you been doing the past five years? Tell me. I command you to."

The pleading look fell away and a defeated one took its place. "I was helping Bobby make contacts across the globe."

Dean shook her a little. "I know that already! Why? I want to know why. Why did you leave and pretend to be dead? Answer me! Now!"

"No," Liz replied defiantly.

"No? You _have_ to tell me what I want to know. Your brother said…"

"My brother says a lot of things," Liz interrupted, turning on her heel. She pulled her arm out of Dean's grasp and headed for the door. "I'll be in my room," she called over her shoulder.

Dean started after her, but Bobby stopped him. "Boy, if I were twenty years younger, I'd kick your ass for doing that to Liz. I've half a mind to try anyway."

Dean shook off Bobby and continued after Liz. When he made it outside, he realized she must have run part of the way to the house as she was almost to the door. He broke into a run and was only a few steps behind her as she headed down the hall to the room she was staying in. She was shutting the door as he reached it, and he stuck his foot in between the door and the doorjamb so it couldn't close all the way.

"I have some questions that you're going to answer," Dean said.

"Is that right?"

"Yes," he said, forcing his way into the room.

Liz turned angrily towards him. "What do you want to know, _master_?" She spat the last word at him.

Her spite didn't faze Dean. "I want to know why you left. And I want to know why Linda is really here. Why is your brother after her?"

Liz stared at him for a long moment then sighed. "Honestly, we don't know. We think he wants the children. We don't know why. He's been kidnapping a lot of children with special abilities, so we think he may be after Isabelle because she's empathic. We're just guessing at the motive, though. We also think that Tom wants Sam and me so that he can try to make us breed and give him his chosen one. Now that he knows that Sam is your surrogate, we figure that there will be an assassination attempt on you any day now."

"That still doesn't explain why you left. Tell me why you left!"

"I can't."

"You have to. I'm ordering you to."

"You don't understand. I _can't_ tell you. There's a spell on me that won't let me tell you why I left. Only Bobby can free me where I'm allowed to tell you."

Dean clenched his jaw angrily. "Like I'm going to believe that," he said. "Tell me why you left!"

Liz ducked her head and looked up at him. "I'll tell you anything but that," she offered quietly.

Dean's face twisted into a cruel look. "Anything, huh? Okay. Did Alex try to screw you when you were his partner?"

Liz glared at him. "I think we're done here," she said. "Leave." She shoved her way around him.

She had barely taken two steps before Dean started after her. "We're done when I say we're done, Liz!"

Liz quit walking away but didn't turn around. "What else can I do for you, master?" she asked sarcastically.

Dean stalked toward her, grabbing her roughly as he pressed his hands to her temples to connect their minds. As soon as he made the connection, he was violently expelled from Liz's mind.

He stumbled away from her. "What the hell, Liz!?!" he exclaimed angrily, rubbing his temples against the pain blossoming behind his eyes. He grabbed her again and shoved her against the wall. Her back hit hard, knocking the breath out of her. She grunted as the air left her body then gripped Dean's forearms as he held her in place.

"I _will_ get you to tell me why you left," he promised. He slammed her back against the wall several more times.

Liz put her hands on his chest and shoved. "Screw you, Dean!" she yelled spitefully as she tried to get away from him.

He batted her hands away from his chest and pressed her back against the wall, trapping her with his body. He leaned to where his lips were brushing her ear as he told her silkily, "Good idea, Liz."

Liz's eyes widened, and she shoved him away. He caught her around the waist and tossed her onto the bed without another word. She tried to scramble away from him, but he grabbed her foot and dragged her down the bed. She kicked at him, and he caught her foot and held it, holding her in place as she struggled to get out from under him. He managed to straddle her before she could break free, but she continued to fight against him. After a minute or so, the fight left her, and she settled onto the bed.

Dean had calmed, too. He didn't move off of her, but he loosened his grip some.

Dean fingered the silky fabric of her shirt then played with the two buttons at the top. "How much did this cost?" he wondered.

Liz raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the change in subject. "I don't know. $150. Maybe more."

Dean jerked off one of the buttons. "Oops," he said without remorse. He had a self-satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Liz sighed. "Are you trying to make me mad? 'Cause I can just sew that button back on."

Dean smirked at her. He gathered the delicate fabric in his hands and jerked until it ripped down the middle. "What about that? Can you fix that?"

Liz glared at his smug look. "I'll see what I can do," she replied with fire in her eyes.

There was a charged moment where they just stared at one another then the moment was over and their lips were tangling, hands pulling at clothing.

Dean gave her a hard look. "Are you going to tell me to stop, Liz?" he asked scornfully.

Liz thought about it for a brief moment then shook her head.

"Good." His tone was harsh, but his hands shook as he ran them down her side. She was still wearing the skirt from earlier in the day, so he pushed it around her hips. "You look ridiculous in these clothes," he told her. A wry smile snuck onto his face. "They're convenient, though."

Liz was tugging at the buttons on his jeans. "Yours aren't."

"I got it," he told her, moving her hands aside so he could jerk the buttons open. He undid his pants and shoved them down around his hips.

Liz grimaced in pain as he entered her without foreplay then closed her eyes and sucked in a breath as she tried to adjust to him.

Concern momentarily outweighed any lingering anger Dean felt. "Did I hurt you?" he asked regretfully, stilling his movements.

Liz opened her eyes and focused on his face. "I'll live," she replied, sliding her hands to his temples to help him make the connection between their minds.

He stopped her. "Are you okay? I…" He cleared his throat against its sudden rawness.

Liz nodded. "I'm okay," she assured him. "I'm okay."

Dean wasn't convinced. "You sure?"

Liz nodded slightly.

Dean wordlessly tugged his shirt off and tossed it to the side but didn't bother with pushing his pants the rest of the way off. He brushed the hair out of Liz's eyes then kissed her. When he pulled back, he looked contrite. "I'm sorry, Liz. I got a little carried away."

Liz smiled. "I don't mind," she said. She grabbed behind his neck and pulled their bodies closer.

Dean kissed her and felt it all the way to his toes. His heart clenched, and he slowed the kiss for a brief few seconds, relishing the feeling of holding Liz. Liz sucked in a breath as Dean broke their embrace, and she watched him, her pupils dilated so much that her eyes were almost black. Dean didn't think, just connected their minds.

He had forgotten what it was like to be in Liz's head, especially while they were having sex. It made all the sensations coming from her increase tenfold. For a moment after he got inside her head, he was frozen by the intensity with which he could feel Liz's lust and pain, but he pushed that aside and ferociously went after the information he wanted.

He found what he wanted, but there was a block around it keeping him from getting at the memory. Dean butted against the block time and again, frustration rekindling his anger. Soon he was putting every bit of energy he had into breaking through the barrier in Liz's mind. He gathered up as much energy as he could muster and butted against the block as strongly as he was able. He succeeded only in once again breaking the connection between their minds.

When he became aware of his surroundings, Dean realized that his entire body was shaking. He rolled off of Liz and sat up. She grabbed him by his hair to keep him from crawling off the bed.

"Don't you dare try to leave," she said. She sat up and straddled his lap. "Don't you dare."

She gave him a sloppy kiss while they fought with one another for several moments, each trying to get the upper hand. Finally, Dean picked her up and dumped her back onto the bed. She gasped as he surged into her again, then ran her nails down his back leaving angry red welts in their wake. Dean made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and gripped her hips hard enough to bruise. His thrusts were sharp and angry, and it didn't take either of them long to find their release.

Libidos sated, they lay beside one another trying to get their breathing and heart rate back under control. Dean got up after a few moments and put on his shirt. Liz watched him while he redressed then rolled onto her side facing away from him. She pulled the covers up around herself and curled into a ball.

Dean hovered uncertainly by the bed for a moment, then climbed back onto it. He scooted to where he was not quite touching Liz and tried to decide what to do next. He made up his mind and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close to his body.

At first, Liz remained rigid in his embrace, but soon she grabbed Dean's arm and hugged it to her. She stayed that way for a moment, savoring the feeling of being in Dean's arms again, then shoved Dean away.

"Please, leave," she said.

Dean sat up and stared at her. "What?" he asked, surprised.

Liz rolled to face him. "I just need to be alone to process everything. It's been five years since I've had sex, and that was a little…" she struggled to come up with the right word, "…overwhelming." Her eyes pleaded with him to understand.

Dean was clearly confused, but he nodded and started to leave. "I've got to walk the perimeter for a while anyway," he said.

Liz seized his arm before she realized what she was doing. "But Bobby said he wasn't putting you on the security rotation," she said frantically. She caught herself and forced her hand to drop back onto the bed. "Be careful." The fear was strong in her voice.

Dean nodded once. "I will," he promised. His words were gentler than his body language, which was angry again as he climbed off the bed.

Liz sat up, panicked. She quickly pushed aside the thought of how silly she must look with her ruined shirt hanging limply at her side exposing her beige, very unsexy bra and her skirt still bunched around her hips. She grabbed Dean and pulled him into another hug. Dean kept his hands at his side, not resisting her but not returning her desperate embrace, either. The air was ripe with a thousand unsaid things.

After a moment of her clinging to him, Dean cleared his throat and pushed Liz away firmly but gently. "I've got to go, Liz," he said softly.

"I want you to," she reminded herself.

Dean nodded once. He started toward the door, thought better of it, and turned and pressed his lips to Liz's. It was a short kiss—their mouths stayed closed—but the feeling behind it electrified them both. Dean pulled their lips apart, pressed their foreheads together for a second, then was gone.

Liz stared at the space Dean had occupied then slowly removed her destroyed shirt and the rest of her clothing and burrowed under the covers of her bed, not bothering with a nightgown. She thought she would toss and turn, but the events of the night caught up with her and she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Sam was exhausted after four hours of perimeter watch. He undressed and crawled into bed hoping to finally get some rest. He was almost asleep when a knock sounded on the door. He got up and cracked the door open. Liz was standing on the other side wearing a robe and twisting her hair, indecisiveness coming off of her in waves.

"Can I help you?" Sam asked.

Liz smiled broadly and pushed her way into the room. She shut the door behind her and leaned against it. "Yes," she replied. "I need your opinion on something."

Sam watched her curiously. "Oh? What's that?"

Liz unfastened the robe she was wearing and pulled it open. She had on a lacy, black bra and panties set. "What do you think of these?" she asked, biting her lip.

Sam shrugged. "That depends," he told her as a smile spread onto his face.

"On what?" she asked coyly.

"How easy it is to get off."

Liz eyes flashed with lust as she walked toward him. He caught her by the hips and pulled her flush against him.

"God, you're gorgeous," he told her.

She laughed. "And I'm all yours," she said, dropping to her knees.

Sam jolted awake. His heart was pounding, and sweat had dried to his body. It was early morning, less than two hours since his patrol ended, which wasn't nearly enough sleep. It would have to do, though. Sam knew he wasn't going to be able to go to sleep after a dream like the one he'd just had.

The dream lingered in his mind, mixing with memories he had of Liz, like the taste of her skin as he licked from her collarbone down the valley between her breasts and lower. He remembered how it felt to have her thighs wrapped around him and even how she looked falling over the edge into orgasm.

That last thought made Sam recall why he knew those things, and he went cold all over. He felt an almost uncontrollable urge to call Lauren and atone, but he pushed the impulse away and got out of bed, telling himself that Lauren was almost surely still sleeping. She had a conference to speak at in a couple hours, and Sam could handle himself until it was over.

He was glad that he was alone as he started breakfast. He was exhausted from sleep deprivation and didn't feel like making small talk with anybody, especially not Dean. He busied himself with making breakfast and tried not to think. He couldn't manage to turn his brain off, however, and his thoughts inevitably drifted back to the image of Liz in lacy lingerie teasing him.

Sam shook his head to clear his thoughts. He made himself think about Dean and how he was probably at this very moment having a similar dream about Liz, just as he should. Liz was Dean's. Dean's Liz. Liz's Dean. They were together. Sam told himself that he needed to remember that. Dean was in love with Liz. Head-over-heels, can't-even-think-about-another-woman in love with Liz.

XXX

The triplets were blonde and bosomy and beckoning to Dean with their red painted fingernails. The middle one bit her lip coyly. "Mr. Dean, we've been waiting for you all this time. The only thing that can save us is if you make passionate love with the three of us."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Cut the crap. I had enough of your games a long time ago."

The sister who had been enticing Dean laughed. "All work and no play makes Dean a cranky boy. But then, I guess it hasn't been _all_ work lately," she commented with a smile. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Aren't you supposed to be providing security for the old man? That _is_ what you told Liz, isn't it?"

"Why don't you mind your own business and stay out of mine?" Dean spat at her.

The girl to the right replied. "Maybe because you continue to make your business ours," she said. She got a calculating look on her face. "Want us to pretend to be Liz again?" she asked with a cruel smile.

Dean glared at her. "Why would I need to use your parlor tricks when I've got the real Liz waiting for me when I wake up?"

The girl shrugged. "Suit yourself. What do you want if you don't want that? It's been so long since you invoked us that we were starting to wonder if we would ever get to see you again."

Dean ignored the comment. "I want to know where Liz has been and why," he demanded. "You're the Fates. That shouldn't be too hard for you."

"Sounds like a personal problem to me," the middle Fate replied.

Dean clenched his jaw and tried to keep his anger in check. It never helped matters to yell at the Fates. He had learned that the hard way. "I think you three owe me after the crap you put me through. You led me into it, and you did it on purpose. It's time to make amends."

The middle Fate laughed. "He thinks we care about his stupid little problems," she told her sisters in amusement.

The Fate who had yet to speak raised her hand to silence her sisters. "You called us here to help you find out the truth about Elizabeth and all she has been doing. There is nothing we can do to help you with this. Elizabeth's mind is just as closed to us as it is to you. She has been protected by some powerful magicks these last five years. If she had not shown herself, we would never have been aware that she remained alive. You are better off asking her your questions and then waiting until she is ready to answer them. But whatever you do, do it with Elizabeth. You need to work it out with her because the two of you are going to be unstoppable once you work through this angst and really open up to one another."

Dean snorted. "God help me if I ever take _your_ advice again."

The Fate shrugged. "As you wish," she replied. "It is your heart to give or hide away. I could really care less which you choose." She patted Dean's arm. "It is time for you to wake now. Breakfast is waiting, and it is going to be a big day for you. You need to get to it."

"That's it?" Dean yelled angrily. "That's all the help you're going to give me? Well, thanks for nothing! I want to wake me up now!"

The Fate patiently watched his tantrum. "Are you done?" she asked.

Dean reined his anger in. "Yes," he pouted.

"Good," she said. "You may wake now."

Dean woke up pissed. He dressed and went to the kitchen to make breakfast, where he found Sam preparing his meal. He seemed distracted as Dean came into the room and dug a soda out of the refrigerator.

Dean sat his drink on the table and sized Sam up. "Something wrong, Sam?"

Sam flinched. "No. Why would anything be wrong?"

Dean gave him a look. "I don't know, but something is."

Sam shook his head. "Nothing's wrong," he insisted. "You want some eggs?"

Dean shrugged. "Sure, scramble me a couple."

"Bacon?"

Dean laughed. "Like you even have to ask," he said.

Sam laughed with him but it sounded hollow. "Guess not," he said and threw several pieces of the cooked bacon onto Dean's plate.

The smile fell off of Dean's face as he watched Sam woodenly maneuver around the kitchen. "You sure there's nothing wrong?" he asked again.

Sam rubbed his eyes. "I'm just tired, Dean. Sleep is hard to come by right now, and all the staying up late is starting to catch up with me."

"I know what you mean," Dean replied, but he wasn't convinced that lack of sleep was what was bothering Sam.

Sam sat the plate of food in front of Dean and sat down opposite him to eat his breakfast. "Have you been paying attention to Maddie?" he asked to change the subject. "She's still screwing up her shooting. She jerks every time she pulls the trigger."

"I know. Madison's scared of a gun. Aly couldn't hit the side of a barn if she were five feet from it. And most of the other girls would much rather be doing something else. How are they supposed to become hunters if they can't even take out a target? Katy's really the only one who stands out. She'll be decent at the job if she'll learn a little patience."

Sam's eyes twinkled with amusement and this time it seemed genuine. "_You're_ lecturing people about patience?"

"I'm patient when I need to be," Dean insisted defensively. "Katy's _never_ patient."

"That girl is crushing hard on you," Sam observed.

Dean glared at him. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. Like I need you to tell me that Katy has a crush on me. She's been very vocal about telling me herself that she wants me. Now that Liz is back, it's gotten worse. Cat fights make me tired, Sam."

"I'm sure that Liz can take care of herself where Katy's concerned."

Dean smiled fondly. "It's not Liz I'm worried about. When it comes to Liz, Katy doesn't have a shot in hell."

"Think she'll figure that out before she pisses Liz off bad enough that she makes Katy wish she'd never been born?"

"Probably not. She'll do something to bring Liz's wrath down on her. You can just about bet on it. And there'll be no one to blame for any of it but herself."

Sam laughed. "Poor girl doesn't even know what she's doing," he said. He pushed his eggs around on his plate a moment and then looked up at Dean again. "Speaking of Liz, where is she?"

Dean stiffened. "Couldn't say. If I had to guess, I'd say she's asleep."

"Oh. I thought maybe you two…It looked like you two…"

Dean pinned Sam with his gaze. "Are we seriously going to talk about this?"

Sam rubbed the back of his neck and avoided looking at Dean. "You're right. This is weird. I don't want to know what you did last night."

Dean thought back to the previous night and remembered how every nerve ending in his entire body seemed to come alive when he had kissed Liz. He forced himself to focus on what Sam was saying. "Liz is fine," he assured Sam. "I'm sure she'll wake up raring to ride my ass for another hundred things she's remembered that I've done wrong over the last five years. Liz will wake up with a smile on her face, I'm sure."

XXX

Liz came awake to the sound of laughter and girls talking. This made her very confused.

"He's had hotter. I'm not even sure I'd put her in the top ten."

"Oh, please, she easily makes the top ten."

"What is on her neck?"

"I don't know."

"I'm gonna need to see her naked to really give her a rating."

It took a moment for Liz's exhausted brain to process that the girls were both in the room _with_ her and talking _about_ her. She pulled the covers tight around herself as she sat up and tried not to look as vulnerable as she felt. Liz recognized all of the girls in the room and wasn't a bit surprised to see Katy amongst them.

Katy gave Liz a vicious smile when she sat up. "Hi," she said. "We were wondering if we could see you naked. It's purely for scientific reasons, promise."

Liz looked around at all of the girls. "Why are you in my room?" she demanded, managing to inject just enough venom into the question to hide the awkwardness she was feeling.

Katy laughed. "Dean _always_ has us rank his conquests. Do you want to know what number you are?"

Liz glared at Katy. She got out of the bed, dragging the covers with her. She let the comforter fall to the floor then pulled the sheet tight around her body. After the sheet was secure, she left the room and headed down the hall.

A look of alarm took over Katy's face. "Wait! Where are you going?" she called after Liz.

Liz ignored the question as she stomped down the hall. She ran into Bobby in the living room. "Have you seen Dean?" she asked angrily.

Bobby averted his eyes. "He's in the kitchen with Sam I think."

"Not for long, he's not," Liz muttered, heading for the kitchen.

As Bobby had said, Dean was in the kitchen having breakfast with Sam. The two of them were laughing and seemed to be enjoying themselves. This further infuriated Liz.

Dean's back was to her, so Sam saw Liz first and choked on his eggs at the sight of her wearing nothing but a sheet. Dean turned to see what had gotten Sam's attention and froze when he saw Liz. "That's quite a fashion statement you're making," he commented with feigned nonchalance.

Liz was not interested in banter. "Please tell me that you did not send those girls to humiliate me. I really want to believe that they did that on their own, so please tell me it wasn't you. And if it was you, please tell me…_please_ tell me that you haven't spent the last five years degrading every woman that agreed to come home with you by subjecting them to that."

Dean got a cocky look on his have. "Well, not every woman, but—"

Liz slapped him hard across the face. "You son of a bitch," she said furiously. "You unbelievable son of a bitch."

Dean stared at her, open-mouthed, shocked from her slap.

Liz was not finished, though. "So that's what you really want? Me stacked up next to the rest of the notches on your bedpost?" She got a determined look on her face. "Well, fine then. Why don't you ask someone whose opinion you actually care about?"

She let the sheet fall, but Dean anticipated what she was doing and caught it before it hit the floor, quickly covering her again. Sam jerked his head away from her, staring at the ceiling until he was sure she was fully covered again.

"What is wrong with you, Liz?" Dean asked angrily as he secured the sheet back around her.

Liz watched him wordlessly as he fussed with the sheet.

"Well?" he prompted when he was satisfied that the sheet was secure.

Anger flared behind Liz's eyes. "What is wrong with you, Dean?" she asked, shoving his chest while she talked.

Dean froze as he noticed her arm. Liz shoved him again but didn't get a reaction; Dean's attention was drawn to the mess of red and blue lines swirling together down her right arm, each intersecting line ending in a starburst of purple. He ran a finger down her arm.

"What is this?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Liz tried to tuck her arm behind her, but Dean caught it and held it so he could inspect it. "What _is_ this?" he demanded, voice rising. He met Liz's eyes and held her gaze.

"The same thing it was five years ago," Liz answered quietly.

Dean let her arm go and stared her in the eyes. "You mean you're dying," he said, choking up on the last word.

Liz nodded unhappily. "And sooner rather than later."

The group of girls burst into the room then, staying whatever response Dean had.

"Dean, she's lying," Katy insisted.

Dean gave her as stern a look as he could muster. "I'll deal with you girls later," he told them. He still looked shell-shocked.

Katy didn't let it go. "As long as you—"

"I _said_ I'll deal with you later!" Dean snapped.

"Okay," Katy squeaked out.

"Dean," Liz said softly to get his attention. She looked worried as she watched him. Dean shook his head at her and sat back down in the chair he had abandoned.

He looked up at her with a tortured expression. "You can't die, Liz," he insisted. "I just got you back."

Tears came to Liz's eyes. "I'm sorry, Dean. It's not exactly my favorite idea either."

Dean looked away from her. "I didn't think I had enough heart left to survive it being ripped out again. I guess I was wrong." Tears were in his eyes now, too. "You can't die," he repeated. He leaned forward and placed his forehead against her stomach. "You can't. You just can't. I'm not strong enough to survive that."

Liz ran her hands through his hair. "I'm sorry," she told him tearfully. "I'm so sorry."

Dean rocked away from her. "Being sorry doesn't change anything," he said.

Liz looked anguished. "I know."

"What is going on?" Katy interrupted. "What's wrong with Liz?"

Dean stood up. "I have things to do," he said.

"Dean!" Liz said and grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving. "Please talk to me and don't just run away to do something stupid."

Dean sighed. "I'm not going to do anything stupid," he promised. He walked around and her and went outside.

Liz turned to Sam as the tears started falling down her face. "Sam, will you please make sure he's okay?"

Sam gave her a sympathetic look. "Yeah," he said and followed after him.

"Thank you, Sam." Liz did not even try to hide her tears as she turned back to the group of girls. She sat down at the table, buried her head in her hands, and sobbed.

XXX

Sam looked for Dean but didn't see him, so he called Lauren, praying that she would pick up. The call went straight to voicemail, and Sam sighed before beginning his message.

"Lauren," he said in a tired voice, "I know that more than likely you won't be able to call me back for a while, but I really need to talk to you…Liz is back. Dean's Liz. And I really need to talk to someone removed from the situation. Please call me when you get this message. I love you. Be safe."

He closed the phone and sighed again. Dean would be fine, he told himself. He went back into the kitchen, pulling up short when he saw Liz sitting at the table looking very lost. She had obviously been crying, as her eyes were watery and rimmed in red.

The other girls were gone, but Katy was still standing in the doorway looking unsure about what to do. She looked at Sam then focused on Liz. "I don't get it," she said.

"Get what?" Liz replied dazedly without ever looking at Katy. She was barely listening to a word Katy said.

"What Dean sees in you. You're not so special. Why does he make such a big freaking deal about you?"

_That_ got Liz's attention. She jerked her head around to look at Katy. "You little—"

"Leave her alone!" Sam yelled at Katy.

Katy rolled her eyes. "Here comes Sam on his stupid white horse to save the damsel in distress," she muttered.

Sam gave her a hard look. "I _said_ leave her alone. Don't you have things you should be doing?"

Katy smirked and gave Sam a knowing look. "Don't you?" she replied, nodding toward Liz. "She's pretty upset that _Dean_ was so upset."

"Mind your own business!" Sam snapped.

Liz rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Thanks for your help, Sam, but I can handle Katy all on my lonesome." She turned to Katy. "I don't like you. That's a bad thing for you. There will be repercussions for what happened this morning. You can be sure of that. As far as what makes me so special to Dean—I love him and he loves me. Nothing more. Nothing less." Liz stood up and headed for the door. "You two have fun bitching it out. I have things to do."

"Liz!" Sam called after her. "Liz!"

Liz stopped walking away but didn't face him. "What?"

Sam closed the distance between them and spun her so he could see her face. "Are you going to be okay?" he wondered.

Liz knocked Sam's hands off of her arms. Katy was watching them closely with open curiosity gleaming in her eyes. Liz glanced at her then back at Sam. "I'll be fine," she told him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do that involve me having more on than a sheet. If you don't mind, I'd like to get dressed."

"Of course," Sam replied and took a step away from her.

Liz walked away quickly toward her room. When she got into the room, she leaned against the door and took a relieved breath.

She stood there for a few moments then gathered her things to take a shower. She replaced the sheet that was tied around her with a robe and left for the bathroom.

After her shower, she dressed and went to the living room. Nearly everyone was assigned some type of job, so the house was almost empty which suited Liz just fine.

Alex saw Liz sitting on the couch and snuck up on her. He jumped over the couch and landed beside Liz. He bumped shoulders with her playfully. "I heard a rumor about you," he told her.

Liz was lost in thought. "Oh?"

Alex smiled in anticipation of Liz's reaction to what he was about to say. "Yeah. I heard you got laid last night."

Liz jerked to attention, blushing bright red as she did so. "What? Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, please. You think everyone in this place is not talking about you streaking through the house? I'll let you in on a secret: they are. I knew about ten minutes after it happened."

Liz was momentarily speechless. "People should mind their own business."

Alex grinned in response. "Sure, they should. So, did you get some?"

Liz gaped at him. "I…I…Alright, fine. Yes, I did, um, get some as you so succinctly put it. Happy?"

Alex laughed and bumped her shoulder again. "Yeah, you did. It's about time. Do girls high-five about sex?"

Liz slapped her forehead and left her head in her hands. "No, they don't," she answered miserably. "Are you sure everyone's talking about me and Dean?"

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "Liz, you have about forty hunters trapped in a small space bored out of their minds. Yes, everyone's talking about it. If you give me details, I can win a bet. The pot's up to around $400, or at least it was the last time I checked. I'll split the take with you."

Liz sat down, shaking her head in disbelief. "How embarrassing. Can we talk about something else? There _is_ an impending apocalypse, you know."

Alex brushed away her comment. "There's always some impending apocalypse. In fact, you getting laid might be one of the signs of it." Liz glared at him, and he laughed. "Seriously, though, I'm glad you finally got some happy time."

Liz wrung her hands. "I don't think it made either of us particularly happy," she admitted.

Alex was suddenly very interested in what she had to say. "Do tell. I get more points for specifics." Liz glared at him, and his face turned apologetic. "I'm sorry, Liz. You know I'm joking. I'm always here for you. Tell me what's bothering you."

Liz shook her head. "Nothing. I just…It's nothing."

"Okay. If you decide you need to talk about this nothing, I'm here."

"Thanks, Alex."

Alex smiled mischievously. "You know, last night may not have been what you imagined it would be, but there's always tonight. You know what they say, if at first you don't succeed…"

Liz smiled in begrudged amusement. "I think Dean might be able to appreciate your philosophy."

Alex shrugged. "I speak truth, nothing more."

Liz shoved him playfully. "You are so full of crap," she said with a laugh. "Where's Cassie, by the way?"

"What am I? Her keeper? If you must know, she's taking out her aggression on a poor, defenseless target as we speak."

Liz gave Alex a meaningful look. "Is she…okay?"

Alex grew serious. "It's not your fault that she fell in love with you, Liz. She'll get over it. You don't have to worry about her."

"I know, but I worry anyway. She's my friend, and I care about her."

"Hey, lazybones, let's get a move on it!" Linda interrupted from behind them. "I don't have all day to help you with your little problem. I conned a couple of Dean's jailbaiters into watching the kids, and I don't know how long they'll last."

"I guess we'd better get a move on then. And they're not _Dean's_ jailbaiters," Liz insisted.

Linda shrugged. "Whatever you say. Next, you'll be telling me that you have no problem with him getting sweaty with the lot of them."

"It's called training, Linda," Liz replied. She turned to Alex with an apologetic smile. "I'll catch you later, okay?"

Alex looked between the sisters curiously. "Sure. Secret rendezvous?"

Liz flashed her teeth at him. "You know it," she said and followed after Linda. They went in Bobby's office and shut the door. Liz took a seat on the floor while Linda went straight to Bobby's desk and picked up several items off of it. She turned to Liz and tried to gauge her mood. "I heard about what happened this morning. I need you focused if I'm going to do a treatment. Are you going to be able to handle that?"

"I'll focus. Promise."

Linda lit some incense. "Good." She handed her a glass that had a clear liquid in it and one that had the sludge that Bobby made Liz every morning. "You know what to do."

Liz dipped a hand in the clear liquid then rubbed the solution onto her skin wherever the marks from the adultery curse were. When she finished covering them, she drank the contents of the other glass then sat on the floor in front of Linda.

Liz crossed her legs and started to meditate. Linda waited for her breathing to even out before she began chanting. When she finished with the incantation, she grabbed Liz's arm and wiped it down with a rag she had waiting. Color came off on Linda's cloth. Though it wasn't much, the lines were noticeably farther away from Liz's wrist when Linda finished with Liz's arm.

Linda kneeled beside Liz and roused her from her meditation. Liz looked at her arm and fought back tears. "We're adding days now. We used to add months."

Linda brushed the hair back from Liz's face. "Those are days you wouldn't have had otherwise," she reminded her.

Liz choked back a sob. "I know, but it's still not enough." She let her tears fall. "I had resigned myself to it, Linda. I had gone away for a very specific purpose, and if I had to die, at least I was doing it for something I cared about. Now I'm back here, and nothing makes sense any more."

Linda hugged Liz to her and held her while she cried. "It'll be okay, Liz. We'll figure something out," she said into her hair.

Liz barked out a laugh and shoved away from Linda. "Oh, please. It's been five years. We haven't found anything, and we're not going to."

"Keep the faith, Liz."

"I lost my faith a long time ago," Liz replied angrily. She stood up, cracking her knuckles and beginning to pace back and forth. "I want to do the other ritual, Linda."

Linda looked horrified. "No, Liz. I won't let you."

Liz glared at Linda. "I don't see that you can stop me."

"Liz, that spell is bad news. It's serious dark magic."

"I need it, Linda," Liz insisted. "I _need_ to be at my best when all of this stuff goes down, and it's going to take that spell."

Linda rubbed her face. "Liz, this is a bad idea."

Liz stopped pacing and looked at Linda. "Will you help?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, I will, Liz," Linda responded with a sigh. "I'd rather be here with you than having you try it on your own."

Liz looked relieved. "Thanks, Linda."

"You can thank me by making sure Bobby knows that this was your idea."

Liz hugged Linda. "Thank you, Linda. You're my hero."

Linda smiled despite herself. "I'll try to remember that if this puts you in a coma or worse."

Liz's smile fell. "I'll be okay. Promise."

"That's what everyone says before their souls are sucked from their bodies and they are left as an empty shell of human flesh."

"Don't be so melodramatic."

"I'm not being melodramatic," Linda insisted. She pushed Liz back onto the floor. "Let's just get this over with. I'd rather not think too much about what I'm doing." She jerked a book off of Bobby's desk and flipped to a page that had been dog-eared. She started reading the incantation from the book, ignoring the sudden burst of wind that ruffled her hair. Shadows began to flicker on the wall. Linda continued chanting as if they weren't there.

When blood began to trickle out of Liz's nose, Linda stopped.

"Liz you're bleeding."

Liz wiped at her nose impatiently. "I'm fine," she insisted. "Finish the ritual before you lose the connection."

Linda hesitated but went back to chanting. It took less than a minute to finish, and when it was over, Liz crumpled in on herself. Linda ran to her side and tried to pick her up. Liz's dead weight was too much for Linda to carry, though, so she ran in the hall. "Bobby! Bobby, I need you!" she called as she ran through the house.

Dean was the first person she ran into. "Bobby's at the barn. He'll probably be there a while."

Linda chewed her lip while she debated whether or not to tell Dean what was going on. "I need you to help me move Liz," she told him hesitantly.

"What's wrong with Liz?"

Linda shrugged. "I don't really know."

Dean forced himself to keep breathing. "Is she…?" he trailed off, scared to finish the thought because he was scared of the answer.

Linda shook her head. "She's fine. She just passed out. We were doing a…well, I was helping her with something, and she collapsed on the floor. I'm not strong enough to carry her to her room, so I came to get Bobby. She's fine, though. I promise."

Dean looked skeptical. "Where is she?"

"In Bobby's office," she said wearily. She grabbed Dean's arm as he started around her. "Promise you won't freak out when you see her."

Dean shook her off. "It's that bad, huh?" he said and hurried down the hall.

Linda hurried after him, catching up right as Dean got to Bobby's office. When Dean saw Liz, his heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. She was lying on the floor at a weird angle, and she was ashen to the point of almost looking gray. If he were honest with himself, he'd say she looked an inch away from death. He scooped her up and tried to keep the fear from his voice as he asked Linda, "Is she going to be okay?"

"She's fine," Linda assured him. "She just needs to rest. Take her to her room, and I'll check on her every little bit to see if she's come out of it."

Dean glanced down at Liz. "My room is closer," he pointed out. "I'll take her there."

"If you're okay with taking her to your room, I'm sure that Liz would be more than happy about it. She might feel that you're starting to forgive her. She thinks that she's screwed things up pretty badly."

Dean cleared his throat to show his discomfort then headed for his room without responding. Linda followed, watching as Dean gently laid Liz on the bed. He brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her forehead before realizing that Linda was watching him. "You can go now," he told her. "I'll make sure she's okay."

Linda caught Dean's gaze and held it. She smiled at him then nodded once. "You can come get me if you need anything. I'm gonna go relieve whoever's watching my kids. I love them, but they can be a handful."

"I'll let you know if I need anything."

Linda hesitated in the doorway. "I heard about what happened this morning. I know my sister, and I know that she'll probably never tell you this, but she has spent the entire time she's been here trying to figure out some way to tell you. That wasn't how she wanted you to find out that she's dying."

Dean shrugged because he didn't trust himself to speak. He waited until Linda left then let his body sag in on itself. He looked down at Liz for a moment then stood up. "Get some sleep," he told her unconscious form then left.

XXX

Liz woke up with her head spinning. The dizziness got worse when she sat up. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and once she did, she felt too sick to feel anything but passing curiosity at why she was in Dean's bed and not her own.

She wasn't sure what time it was, but she knew it was evening. She remembered that Bobby wanted to have a meeting this evening, so she stumbled out into the hall and promptly ran into Sam hurrying down the hallway.

"Hey, Sam," Liz managed to get out. She slid one hand along the wall for support.

"Hey, Liz," Sam replied with a warm smile as he walked past her. It was like a switch was flipped, and his face suddenly went slack. He turned back around so he was facing Liz. "Hey, Liz?" he asked in a monotone voice.

Liz stopped walking and turned to Sam. "Yeah?"

Sam said nothing, just pushed her against the wall.

"Hey!" Liz protested. "Sam, let me go!"

Sam pinned her wrists and kissed her. Adrenaline shot into her veins, jumpstarting her limbs. She squealed in protest, bucking against him to try and break his hold on her. She managed to knee him in the groin, but he didn't react. He did eventually pull back to breathe.

"Sam!" she yelled. "Sto—"

Sam thrust his tongue into her open mouth. Liz was sobbing as she struggled against him. She bit down on his tongue, but he didn't even flinch. When he pulled back the second time, Liz noticed that his eyes were glazed and unfocused.

"Sam?" she asked in a shaky voice.

She stiffened when he kissed her again. This time, though, she pressed her lips against his for a brief moment. When she bucked against him this time, he let her go. He took a step away from her, a look of confusion on his face.

Liz scrambled away from him. "What is _wrong_ with you?" she sobbed.

Sam looked around himself trying to figure out how he'd gotten into the hall. "Is this a dream?" he wondered, reaching down to pinch his arm.

Liz fought to remain calm. She hugged herself as she watched Sam. "You don't remember?"

Sam shook his head. "The last thing I remember is being in my room. Then I was here."

Liz took a cautious step toward Sam. "You're not going to try and shove your tongue down my throat again are you?" she wondered.

A look of horror dawned on Sam's face. "I kissed you?"

Liz nodded and took another step toward him. "You were pretty insistent about it."

Sam looked tortured. "I'm so sorry, Liz. I don't know what I was thinking."

Liz closed the distance between them and checked Sam's pupils. They were completely dilated. "Has this been happening a lot?" she wondered.

"Me kissing people?"

"I meant the missing time, but since you bring it up, that too."

Sam shook his head. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."

"Nothing else out of the ordinary has happened recently?"

The image of Liz falling to her knees in front of him came to Sam's mind. "Nope," he replied without a second's hesitation.

Liz sized him up. "You sure?"

"Yes," Sam replied. "Are you going to tell Dean about this?"

Liz shook her head hesitantly. "Not if I can help it."

"Thank you, Liz. Thanks for doing that."

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it because Dean would be devastated if he ever found out."

"Something's wrong with me, isn't it?"

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. It looks that way."

Sam glanced down the hall. "Bobby's going to come looking for us if we don't hurry."

It was as if Sam had willed the prediction into being. Ten seconds after Sam made the statement, Bobby appeared at the end of the hallway. "Are you two planning to join us anytime soon?" he wondered.

Liz quickly put distance between her and Sam. "Coming, Bobby," she said and headed after him. Sam took a deep breath and let it out before following Liz.


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: **I have the next chapter finished. I will post it tomorrow.

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Glad you could join us," Sheila sniped as Liz and Sam made their way into the meeting room.

All of the hunters who had gathered at Bobby's, about thirty-five in all, had squeezed into the basement and were waiting for the meeting to start.

Liz looked for Dean and found him sitting by himself in one of the corners. He looked up at her but quickly looked away. Bobby got her attention before she could worry too much about it. He signaled for her to come stand at the front with him. She pushed her way through the crowd and managed to make it to the front.

Bobby waited on her before he began. "Okay, settle down," he said. He paused while the various conversations died down before he continued. "It looks like everyone is here now, so we'll get started. If I asked you here, it's because I think you are one of the best hunters out there right now. Liz and I discussed it, and we came up with a game plan that we think might actually work. We divided all of the hunters between the two of us. She took the responsibility for assigning jobs to a handful of people and I got the rest. In a minute, I'm going to turn the floor over to Liz. I know that some of you have a problem with her, but you should know upfront that if you can't work with her, then you can't work with me and you should leave right now while you still can."

Bobby waited for anyone to move toward the door. No one did, so he continued. "Right. Now Liz is going to…"

"Before I decide whether I'm staying, I want to know why we should do anything she wants us to," one hunter piped up. "She's one of them. She's a Barrister for crying out loud."

Liz straightened to her full height. "I'm not a Barrister anymore; I'm a Winchester. I know that a lot of you have lost people to this war. I've lost people, too. I'm one of your leaders now. I know I've been moping around, but that stops now. We are about to go into full-blown war, and there will be no time for insubordination or handholding. If you don't like me, that's fine. You _will_ do what I say, though, or I will kick you to the curb so fast your head will spin. Do you all understand?"

No one said anything, so Liz relaxed a little bit. "Good. Bobby and I have decided to split you into three groups. Bobby's going to be in charge of two of them, and I am responsible for the other. If I call your name, you will get your assignment from me. Otherwise, you report to Bobby. Dean, Sam, Sheila, Jo, Jeremy, Katy, Linda, Cassie, and Alex are with me. Everyone else, talk to Bobby. After you get your assignment, you shouldn't share it with anyone, not even me or Bobby. We designed it so that if one of you is captured, you only have information about your particular assignment and not the resistance as a whole."

"And what if _you_ get captured?" Katy asked in a snotty voice.

Liz counted to five in her head before responding. "I have been trained to withstand the torture techniques that my brother uses. I'm the person who's most likely to not divulge information."

"So you're saying we have to hope that you can take what they're dishing out?"

Liz glared at Katy. "Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Lucky for you, if they capture me, they're almost certain to have other things on their minds than what we're doing here to stop them."

Katy rolled her eyes. "I think I'll focus on making sure you don't get caught by the enemy."

Liz took a deep breath and let it out. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," she told herself.

Katy looked confused. "What?"

Liz smiled sardonically. "I was reminding myself why I shouldn't beat the hell out of you."

"It would probably make your life a whole lot easier if you would," Dean chimed in. "Katy respects power. She thinks you're weak, so she's testing you."

Liz cocked an eyebrow at Dean. "And here I thought it was because she's in love with you and sees me as a threat."

Dean shrugged. "Well, there is that."

Liz ducked her head to hide her smile then turned to face the group. "Okay, those of you with me, follow me." She headed up the stairs without checking to see if anyone was following, confident that they were.

She led everyone to Bobby's office and motioned for them to sit down. She dug in one of his drawers and pulled out a stack of manila folders. They each had a name written on the front, and she handed the envelope to the corresponding person.

"Don't open them here. Wait until you're alone then read through them. If you can, memorize them and destroy them. If you can't, just make sure you keep that envelope in a safe place. Any questions?"

No one had any, so the group broke up. Dean lingered a moment trying to decide whether he wanted to talk to Liz or not but decided he didn't and hurried out of the room.

Sheila was waiting on him as he stepped out into the hall. "So, your woman's plan should be interesting anyway," she told him. She fell into step with him.

"What do you want?" he asked in annoyance.

Sheila sighed. "There's something I promised Liz I would do."

That got Dean's attention. "Really? _You_ promised Liz you would do something? If I didn't already know that the world was ending, I would after you told me that."

"Hardy, har har. You're so funny. I promised her that I would apologize to you for that stuff that happened in…"

Dean held up a hand to stop her. "That's none of Liz's business," he said angrily.

Sheila shrugged. "I get the impression that she feels like it is."

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, you are her business, so what happens to you is her business. And she's right, I should apologize for what I did. It was…not my finest moment."

Dean shrugged off the apology. "That's an understatement. It was a long time ago, though. I'm over it."

"All the same, I'm sorry for what I did."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Apology accepted. Now can we forget that that week ever even happened?"

Sheila smiled. "Gladly. You know, you're pretty damn lucky to have Liz. There's not many people who care for you as much as she does."

Dean squinted at her. "Are you seriously defending Liz?" His eyes lit in sudden understanding. "Oh my god! You like Liz. After all this time, you like Liz! What happened? You hated her. You mocked her every chance you got."

Sheila held up her hands. "Don't be an idiot! She's a prissy bitch, and I don't like her one iota. She has her moments, though. I'm big enough to admit that."

"It'll make you feel better to just admit that you like her," Dean said with a teasing grin.

Sheila sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine. If you must know, I do kind of like the little princess. I mean, she brought you to your knees, so she can't be all bad."

Dean laughed. "Sheila likes Liz. Sheila likes Liz," he taunted.

"If you tell anyone that, I will deny it till the day I die. And then I'll kneecap you."

Dean laughed some more. "Sheila likes Liz."

Sheila glared at him. "Aren't you mad at her or something? Like you said, she is getting in your business and you don't like it."

Dean shrugged. "You're right. I guess I'll go discuss with my lovely wife about how she should keep her nose out of things that aren't her concern."

Sheila latched onto him so that he couldn't leave. "Be nice to her, Dean."

"I'm always nice to her," Dean insisted.

Sheila jerked against his arm to keep him from walking away. "I mean it, Dean. In case you can't tell, she's in a fragile state."

Dean pulled his arm out of Sheila's grasp. "You should take your own advice and mind your own damn business, Sheila."

Sheila glared at him. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're pissy when you don't get your way?"

Dean answered her glare with one of his own. "I'm not pissy," he insisted.

"Whatever you say, cowboy."

XXX

Dean went back to command central and made a beeline for Liz. "I need to talk to you, Liz," he said with an unidentifiable emotion in his voice.

Liz looked at him. "Okay, I need to…"

"Now," he said almost angrily, grabbing her arm and pulling her with him. "You can have her back in a few minutes," he told Bobby as he passed him. He shoved her into the first empty room he came to and shut the door behind him.

Liz watched him curiously. "So what do you need to talk to me about?" she asked.

Dean growled in frustration. "There's something that I need to get off my chest. I need you to know that I don't regret my life, Liz. You were dead, and I moved on."

"I don't remember asking you to regret your life," Liz replied defensively. "I expected you to move on. I even told myself I wanted you to. I didn't mean it, but I knew that you had to."

"I didn't wait around for you, Liz. You were dead, and I didn't become a monk because of that. I couldn't tell you the number of women I've slept with over the last five years. There were a lot of them."

Tears came to Liz's eyes, and she turned away so that Dean wouldn't see them. "I know. It was harder to keep you out of my head when you were…with them."

Dean turned her face so that she was looking at him. He wiped off the tear that had spilled down her right cheek and kissed her softly. "You didn't let me finish. I'm trying to tell you that I missed you."

Liz laughed through her tears. "Well, you're not doing a very good job of it."

Dean laughed with her. "How about this: I missed you every time I was with another girl. I missed you whenever I heard some crap song that I just knew you would have loved. Basically, I missed you all the damn time. It didn't matter who I was with. It didn't matter what I was doing. I wanted you there so bad I could taste it."

Liz glanced away guiltily. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I went away."

"You should be. I'm so mad at you that I can barely stand it. I'm furious with you, Liz. That doesn't change the fact that I'm mainly just grateful that you're back. You came back to me. I know I should make you explain yourself, but I just don't care. You're back, and that's all that matters."

Liz started to close the distance between them but Dean put his hand between them to stop her.

"Sheila told me what you had her do."

Liz watched him for a few seconds, unsure of how to respond. "Oh?" she said finally.

"Yeah. She told me all the sordid details. She said you told her to apologize."

"I did," Liz admitted.

Dean shook his head in bewilderment. "Why would you do that? It's none of your business. It—"

He kissed her mid-sentence, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her to him. When the kiss ended, they were both breathing hard."

Liz cupped his cheek. "I thought you were gonna yell at me," she said.

Dean kissed her temple. "So did I," he confessed.

Liz laid her head on his shoulder. "I like this better."

"Me, too."

Liz left her head on Dean's shoulder for a few more moments then stepped away from him with a regretful sigh. "I'd better get back. War doesn't plan itself."

Dean gently pushed her against the wall. "They can handle it without you for one night," he insisted and pulled his shirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked.

Dean's eyes twinkled in amusement as he answered, "I know it's been awhile for you, but do you really need a tutorial?"

Liz blushed prettily. "Okay, fine. _Why_ are you doing that?"

Dean sighed. "Liz, tomorrow the world might end. If it does, I want my last night on this hellhole to be with you."

They stayed staring at one another for a moment, neither one of them moving. Liz glanced behind Dean. "Then I guess we'd better lock the door."

Dean grinned. "I got it."

While Dean was locking the door, Liz took off her shirt. Dean grabbed her hands before she could take off her pants.

"This is a problem," he said as he traced his hand over Liz's tattooed arm and shoulder.

"I know."

Dean looked up from the red and blue tendrils and met Liz's eyes. "I don't know what to do about it."

Liz smiled sadly. "There's nothing you can do."

"That's not the answer I want to hear."

Liz cupped his cheek. "Trust me, it's not the answer I want to give, either."

Dean kissed her then, and the next several minutes were spent that way. The kisses became more desperate the longer they kissed until Dean finally broke away. He pushed down his pants and started fumbling with the button on hers.

"This would be so much easier if you were still wearing that ridiculous skirt from yesterday."

Liz kissed along his jaw. "I wasn't really thinking of having sex against a wall with you when I dressed," she said between kisses.

Dean pulled back, laughter in his eyes. "And here I thought you prided yourself on being prepared for anything," he teased.

Her answering laughter made him smile wider. He unzipped her pants and went to work on her bra. It took him two tries to get it unfastened, his hands were shaking so bad.

Liz smiled at him. "And I thought you prided yourself on being Mr. Smooth."

Dean kissed her shoulder and up her neck. "I did until I met you."

There was fire in both of their eyes when they locked gazes. Liz jerked Dean into a kiss, but Dean quickly broke it.

"This isn't going to work," he said, voice strained. "I'm dying here, Liz. Take off your pants. I need you to take off your pants."

He pushed the pair of jeans down desperately. Liz took over for him, shoving the garment to her knees and kicking them the rest of the way off.

She met his embrace, hopping up and wrapping her legs around him. Their lovemaking was passionate and demanding, as if the world was ending that night and they would never see one another again. It was over quickly, and when it was, they collapsed to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs and heaving chests.

Liz laughed giddily as she settled onto the carpeted floor. "You couldn't have picked a room with a bed?"

"I had other things on my mind."

Liz was still euphoric. "I like the other things you had on your mind," she told him.

Dean got up and rustled around trying to find something for them to lie on. He found a blanket stashed in the closet and grabbed it. "We've got a blanket. It could be worse."

Liz laughed again. "It could be."

Dean covered Liz and crawled under the blanket with her. She snuggled into him, and he started tracing over the colors on her arm again.

"This is still a problem," he said, tracing the red and blue tendrils that snaked down her arm with his middle finger. Liz closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure. Dean followed his fingers with his mouth, and Liz gasped. He pulled back. "What do all these lines mean?" he wondered.

Liz tugged Dean's arm until it was wrapped around her then she snuggled against him again. "As far as we can tell, the blue line is your line. The red is the curse trying to kill me for sleeping with Sam. You told me to do it, though, so your mark has spent the last five years trying to neutralize the curse. Every time a new red line appears, a blue one also appears to stop it. I'm still dying; it's just taking a whole lot longer than it would have."

"Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

Liz took a deep breath and let it out. "It's better when we're touching." She rolled so that she was facing him. "You shouldn't worry, though. I don't know how long I've got, but I'm not going to die from it tonight. Not tomorrow, either."

Dean tried not to show the despair he was feeling. "You don't know that."

Liz smiled reassuringly. "Yes, I do."

Dean pressed his forehead to hers, and they stayed that way for a while.

"Do you think Jo will try to make a big deal about you and me?" Liz wondered. "Katy's bad enough as it is."

Dean pulled back and brushed the hair from Liz's face. "Jo has other things on her mind right now. It's pretty safe to say that you are the last thing on her mind."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

XXX

"Where is Liz?" Jo asked in annoyance. "I thought she was going to help us iron out logistics. This was her brilliant plan, and she's not even here to make sure it's carried out right." Jo managed to inject as much sarcasm as possible into the word "brilliant".

"Liz is debriefing Dean, I would imagine," Bobby said, straight-faced. A smile tugged at him lips, but he pushed it away.

Sam snorted in laughter, then tried to cover it by shuffling the papers in front of him.

Jo rounded on him. "What's so funny?"

Sam ducked his head to cover his smile. "Nothing. I think Bobby's right, though. They might be gone awhile. I'm sure she had some detailed plans to go over with him."

"What are you talking about?" Jo demanded in a shrill voice.

Sheila clapped her on the back. "They're having sex, sweetheart. It's not that hard to figure out."

Jo looked momentarily at a loss but recovered herself quickly. "Oh. Well, why didn't you just say that?"

Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Jo glanced around the room. "No," she said and scuttled out of the room.

Bobby glanced dispassionately in the direction that Dean had dragged Liz. "Hopefully, they're finished by now. There really are some things I need to go over with Liz."

Ellen appeared at his side. "Oh, leave 'em alone. You can talk to Liz tomorrow."

Bobby rubbed his face tiredly. "I wish that were true, but this needs to get done."

XXX

Dean tugged on Liz's earlobe with his teeth. "Still feeling overwhelmed by all of this?" he asked teasingly.

Liz blushed. "Last night was overwhelming!" she insisted. "I hadn't had sex in five years. It wasn't exactly how I pictured our reunion." She threaded their fingers together and kissed his knuckles. "It was still good, though," she admitted.

Dean squeezed her. "It was definitely intense."

"I'm terrified of this. It's been so long since I cared about anything that you have so much power over me right now. I don't like feeling out of control. I'm so happy right now, and it would take so little to ruin that all."

She snuggled against Dean so he wouldn't see how vulnerable she felt admitting that.

Dean scooted so he could see her and still be touching as much of her as possible. "You think I'm not scared? I know what life was like without you. I don't want to go back to that."

Liz's eyes became unfocused as she stared off into the distance. "Me, either."

Dean ran his hand down her tattooed arm. "What about the curse? Are you feeling stronger?"

"It's hard to tell. I feel sleepy mainly. I wish we could stay here all night. I love this. I love being here with you."

"I love you," Dean said softly.

Liz's eyes popped open and she rolled so she was facing Dean. "What did you say?"

"I said that I…"

There was a knock at the door, breaking the moment.

"Are you done yet?" Bobby asked grouchily. "It's been forty-five minutes. We need to get moving."

Liz held up a finger. "Hold that thought," she said and scrambled up. She grabbed Dean's shirt and threw it on. She cracked the door open and glared at Bobby. "Five minutes. Give me five more minutes," she said. Her eyes begged him.

Bobby sighed. "Make it thirty. If I need you, I'll come find you."

She smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Don't mention it. But I'm dragging you out in thirty minutes."

She nodded. "Of course."

She closed the door and leaned against it. Dean appeared before her and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I said that I love you," he told her. "I've wanted to tell you everyday since you went away. I love you."

"I love you, too. You know that I do. I love you so much that sometimes you were all I could think about. I spent several years in a constant state of waiting for the few minutes a day that you would be without your necklace and I could be with you for just a few minutes. The only thing that kept me sane was knowing that I was helping to keep you safe."

"Can I kiss you, already? We only have thirty minutes, and I think I need to show you again how much I love you."

"Please do," she said happily.

XXX

"I'm not a drunk," Dean said abruptly into the darkness. It had been well over thirty minutes since Bobby had knocked at the door, but neither one of them seemed in any hurry to break their embrace and go find him.

"Yes, you are," Liz replied. Her voice was sleep-filled. "You're my drunk, though."

Dean shook her gently. "Hey! You can't go to sleep. We have five years to make up for. We need to get started."

Liz smiled, her head lolling to the side. "I'm not gonna be able to make up for them all tonight," she mumbled drowsily.

Dean shook her again. "I know that. But considering that it is now after midnight and we are in a new day, you haven't even begun to make up for any lost time."

Liz was fading fast. "How do you figure that?"

Dean brushed her hair aside and kissed her neck. "Let's say I go easy on you and say that we only would have had sex 3,000 times in the time you were gone. If we have sex once per day, your totals remain the same because the first time is sex we would have had anyway. So, you've met today's quota but haven't started on your back pay. And you're not going to get anywhere by going to sleep."

Liz yawned and stretched. "Can I ask you something?" she wondered.

Dean nodded. "Anything."

"What do you know about Lauren?"

Dean looked at her funny. "I know I don't want to talk about her when I have you naked beside me and could be doing naughty things instead."

Liz smiled a little in response to his comment. "I'm serious. Do you like her? Is she nice? What does Sam see in her?"

Dean sat up, playfulness gone. "Why are you asking about her?" he asked moodily.

Liz sat up, too, and kissed Dean's shoulder reassuringly. "I just haven't met her. Sam seems pretty smitten with her."

"Are you jealous!?! Are you thinking about Sam right now!?! I guess that's typical."

Liz grabbed Dean's face and turned it so he was looking at her. "Hey! I'm not thinking about Sam, at least not in the way you're implying. I was drifting off when I remembered that he was acting really strange earlier. I thought I'd try to figure out why while it was on my mind."

Despite himself, Dean was curious about what Liz was saying. "And you think that Lauren has something to do with Sam acting weird?" he wondered.

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Tell me about her."

Dean grimaced. "I hate her. Sam hasn't been himself since he met her. If you ask me, the bitch is poison. I know that everyone just thinks that I'm upset because Sam doesn't hang out with me as much anymore, but that's not it."

Liz rested her head on Dean's shoulder. "You have great instincts, Dean. If you think she's bad, then she probably is."

"I know this is gonna sound bad, but I really kind of hope she is evil. I'd love to have a reason to kill that bitch."

"If she's evil, we'll figure it out. There's no point in thinking about it tonight. Besides, I have other, more pressing matters to deal with."

"Oh yeah?"

Liz nodded. "Yeah. I'd like to get my sex debt down to at least 2,997 before sunrise."

Dean tried to remain aloof. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather debate Lauren's merits?"

Liz smiled and used her finger to trace over Dean's lips. "Yeah, I'm sure. There'll be other times to plumb the mysteries of Lauren. Unless you'd rather talk about her."

"I'm good."


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Earlier that afternoon**

"_Lauren, I know that more than likely you won't be able to call me back for a while, but I really need to talk to you... Liz is back. Dean's Liz. I really need to talk to someone removed from the situation. Please call me when you get this message. I love you. Be safe."_

Lauren listened to the message then deleted it. She hit the reply button and waited as the phone rang on the other end.

Sam answered on the fourth ring. "Lauren?" he asked, his voice eager. "Is that you?"

"It's me, baby," Lauren replied. She could hear Sam's relief-filled exhalation.

"Oh, thank God. Did you get my message?"

"I did. That's why I'm calling. Are you busy? Do you want to talk?"

"Bobby called a meeting that starts in a few minutes. It can wait, though."

"What's wrong? Tell me everything," Lauren demanded. "I think there's more to it than just Liz being back. Tell me everything that's been going on."

Sam hesitated. "Everything? Are you sure I have to—"

"Everything," Lauren snapped. "And don't keep me waiting."

Sam obeyed. "Okay. Well, I hope you don't get mad. I told you that Liz is back. Apparently, she's not dead, but she is dying. It seems that the adultery curse that we thought killed her before is actually killing her now. Dean's pretty messed up about it, and there's nothing I can do to make it better for him."

"I understand. That sucks, baby. Can you think of anything else you want to tell me? Anything else about Liz?"

There was a pregnant pause on Sam's end of the conversation. "I've been dreaming about her again," he told her. "Is that what you want to know about?"

Lauren smiled. "Yes, tell me more. What exactly did you dream this time?"

There was another long pause. "Well, she came to my room wearing nothing but lingerie. I woke up right as it was getting hot and heavy." Sam gulped and waited for Lauren's response. He doubted it would be pretty, and he didn't blame her. He'd be pissed if the tables were turned.

Lauren surprised Sam. "Perfect," she replied. "I'm sorry you woke up before all the fun started."

"So you're not mad?" Sam fretted. "You know I love you and only you, right?"

Lauren laughed. "I know that, Sam. It's okay that you're dreaming about Liz. I'm a big girl who learned a long time ago how to share. Liz is very beautiful, right? I don't mind you dreaming about beautiful girls."

"You don't?" Sam asked, confused.

"No."

"It's okay with you that I dreamt about another woman?" Sam asked, his confusion growing.

"Yes, it's fine. You know what else? I think that tonight when you go to bed, you should dream about Liz again. This time she'll be naked and you won't wake up before the fun starts. At first, she'll say she doesn't want to, but you'll know she's lying and force her to. Don't worry, that's what she really wants. By the third time, she'll be screaming your name and begging for more. How does that sound?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam balked. "Liz is Dean's wife. _Dean's._ Dean loves her. She loves him. I would never do that to them. I wouldn't do that to Dean."

Lauren snorted. "You've got to get over that, Sammy. You were destined to be with Liz, and you will. I'm here to help you fulfill that destiny. I know you love Dean, but this is bigger than that. So, say that you'll dream of Liz regardless of how you feel about Dean."

Sam's resistance fell away. "I'll dream about Liz," he repeated dutifully.

Sam couldn't see it, but Lauren's head bobbed in approval. "Good," she told him. "As a demonstration of good faith, I think you should kiss Liz the next time you are alone with her."

"I don't understand why I have to do that," Sam protested weakly.

Lauren's voice was as hard as diamonds as she replied. "Because I told you to. The next time you see Liz, you will kiss her. You will kiss her until she kisses you back, and you won't stop until she does. Are we clear?"

"We're clear. I'll kiss Liz until she kisses me back."

"Wonderful. As soon as you hang up, the only thing you'll remember about this conversation is that I made you feel better. When you wake in the morning after a long night of wet dreams about Liz, you'll feel deeply guilty and desperately feel the need to atone. You'll call me immediately to spill your guts, and I'll give you further instructions then. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now remember what I told you. Forget you had this conversation, but call me in the morning."

"I will."

"I know you will. Now tell me you love me and mean it."

"I love you. You know that I love you."

"Bye, Sam. I love you, too. Sweet dreams."

Lauren hung up the phone and heaved a sigh. "I don't know what we're going to do. I can't go back there, and the spell's getting weaker. He's never questioned me like that before."

The man with her started rubbing her shoulders. "You know what I keep coming back to? The part where he said he needed to talk to someone removed from the situation. It's a statement so rich with irony that I can't help but want to laugh."

"You're not being helpful," Lauren replied with a huff.

"You want me to be helpful, huh? Good to know, _Lauren_."

Lauren glared at the man. "Don't call me that, Tom. You know I hate it."

Tom laughed. "You're right; I do know that."

Lauren slapped Tom's hand away when he tried to grope her. "Focus, why don't you? We've got a serious problem."

Tom walked his fingers up her arm, and she slapped them again. He laughed amusedly. "Okay, fine, you win." He put on a stuffy-sounding British accent. "Marisa, darling, what is it you wish for me to do?"

Marisa glared at him. "Well, right now, I wish for you to go to hell, asshole."

Tom dropped the voice. "Fine, Marisa, what is this big problem we suddenly have?"

Marisa looked at him as if he were a small, idiot child. "Oh, I don't know. Just this little thing where I can't go see Sam because Liz'll know who I am. We're screwed. Two years of work down the drain. You know as well as I do that the spell begins to weaken the longer he goes without seeing me. I can keep him dragging along by speaking to him, but that only works for so long."

"Take a breath, Risa. You're getting worked up over nothing." He tried to cup her face, but she jerked away from him.

"Nothing!?! Don't patronize me, you jerk. This is _not_ nothing."

"Sweet, little 'Lauren', there's nothing to worry about. Everything is in place to work out just as we want it to." Tom tugged at Marisa's shirt. "Come on, let's go celebrate in bed."

Marisa cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms across her chest. "_Lauren_ only sleeps with Sam. Maybe next time you'll refrain from calling me that."

Tom pulled on her shirt again. "Oh, come on, Risa. You know I was joking."

Marisa stepped away from him. "I don't know that," she insisted. "I'm stressing about a major problem, and you don't even seem to care."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Are we still discussing that? I told you that everything's taken care of. I guess I should have told you sooner, but I like watching you get worked up. You're going to have Sam come to you."

Tom could see that Marisa's curiosity was getting the better of her. "But what about Liz?" she finally asked. "There's no way she'll let Sam be stupid enough to leave the old man's property."

Tom had a smug grin on his face as he replied. "Liz has been taken care of, too. We've nothing to worry about."

"And Dean?"

The grin became a scowl. "Sadly, no. I admit the plan's not perfect, but I'm confident that Dean'll make himself vulnerable at some point. We'll capitalize on that moment." He shook his head. "I still don't know how the old man got that charm into the jail. They're more resourceful than I gave them credit for. But, they do have a fatal flaw."

Marisa was entranced. "What's that?" she asked dutifully.

Tom smirked. "They trust people. It'll be their downfall." He pulled Marisa onto the bed. "Now onto other matters. First, I'll take care of all our plans; then, I'll take care of you."

He kissed her, pulling away before it got too heated, and grabbed a small microphone from his nightstand. He pushed a button then talked into the mike. The sound went over an intercom system. "Jason, come to my bedroom. I have something I need to discuss with you." He tossed the headset back onto the nightstand and turned to Marisa. "Okay, your turn."

Marisa's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Come and get me."

Tom smirked. "Happy to oblige," he told her and grabbed her by her hair. He crawled on top of her and pulled her shirt off her body.

Jason knocked once and entered without waiting to be acknowledged. Tom and Marisa were writhing on the bed together, and Jason quickly averted his gaze and blew out an annoyed breath. "Could you not have waited two minutes to call me?"

Tom ignored the question as he finished. He rolled off of Marisa, ignoring her protests at being left unsatisfied, and walked over to Jason fully naked. "You're hilarious," he deadpanned.

Jason kept his gaze averted. "Want me to get you a robe?" he asked uncomfortably.

Tom smirked. "Why? It's not like you haven't seen everything I've got and vice versa. Come on; come to bed. Marisa's close as it is, and we have things to discuss."

"You called me in here for a threesome?" Jason balked.

Tom shrugged. "You've never minded before."

Jason looked over Tom's shoulder at Marisa's prone body. She was staring at him in breathless anticipation. He rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said and jerked his shirt over his head, tossing it carelessly to the floor. He left his pants on as he walked to the bed.

Marisa rose to meet him and eagerly went to work undoing his bottoms. When she had them undone, she bent and took him into her mouth. Jason stiffened and cleared his throat. He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to react when she scraped her teeth against a particularly sensitive spot. He cleared his throat again, desperately trying to get her attention. His hands were shaking as he tangled them in her hair and tried to pull her away. She pressed her teeth down, and he froze.

Marisa looked up at him then pulled away. "What's the matter?" she asked, wiping her mouth. "I was trying to help you get into the mood. You don't seem that into it."

Jason pushed her so she was lying on her back. He kicked off his jeans then crawled on top of her. "Well, I'm at attention now," he said dispassionately, "so I'd like to hurry this along if we could. Ginger had a rough night with the baby last night."

Marisa stopped Jason when he tried to kiss her. "Tom gives you the privilege of screwing me, and you want to rush through it and get back to your wife!?! What kind of gratitude is that? I just don't understand you, Jason."

Jason shoved the hand that was blocking him out of the way. "Of course you do, Marisa," he said as he thrust into her. "Of course you do. I'm the guy who has to do what you say, and it drives me crazy, you stupid bitch."

When Jason had satisfied Marisa, he tried to sit up, hoping that he could make a hasty retreat. That was not to be, however. Tom appeared beside him and pushed him back down. Jason didn't react as Tom kissed the place where his shoulder met his neck. There was a time when he would have, but that time was long gone. Tom pulled Jason into a kiss, and he let him, even going so far as to open his mouth and tangle their tongues together.

Marisa was bored at being left out and pulled the two men away from one another. She pulled Jason into a kiss, which made Tom's eyes flash angrily.

"Marisa," he warned, "the rules for this game are very clear."

Marisa pulled away from Jason with an innocent look. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is there something the matter?" she asked with a laugh.

Jason rolled his eyes. "While the two of you bitch this out, I'm gonna go see if Ginger needs anything."

Tom smiled, but there was no warmth to it. "No, you're not," he told Jason. "You're going to finish this and then you're going to go pack."

Jason was a pro at looking nonchalant. "Pack?"

"Something's come up, and I need you and Ginger there with me."

"Anything in particular I should pack for?"

Tom shrugged. "No. It shouldn't take more than a day or two. Jessica'll watch your kids while you're gone."

"You've never asked for Ginger before. What's going on?"

"I may need her…talents."

Jason's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "We might be torturing someone? And it's a surprise who? Must be someone big if you're taking us both."

Tom looked smug. "It is," he said. He sat back on his heels with a sigh. "Tell me again how you got Liz out of hiding. I do so love hearing about it."

Jason could feel himself starting to sweat. "I told her you had Lily hostage, and she fell all over herself to help me out."

Tom smiled proudly. "Nice one, Jay. No one is quite as good as you at manipulating Liz. I'm glad you've had another reason to remind me why I've kept you as my right hand man."

Jason forced himself to remain nonchalant. "I guess. She makes it a little too easy for my tastes."

Tom nodded his approval. "You're right. There really isn't much challenge anymore to getting one over on Liz. Still, I do appreciate how easy you make it seem. Your approach is beautiful in its simplicity."

"Can I go?" Jason wondered. He indicated Marisa on the bed. "It seems like you're done with me here."

"Yes. Go collect your wife. I have things to attend to."

He was having sex with Marisa again before Jason had pulled his shirt back on. Jason quelled the disgust he felt and left the room as soon as he had redressed.

He went straight to Ginger, who was washing the night's dishes. He kissed her shoulder and took the rag away from her. "I need you to pack a bag and say goodnight to the kids."

Ginger wrinkled her nose. "And I need you to take a shower. You smell like bitch."

Jason looked stricken. "Tell me how to get out of it, and I'll gladly do it. It's not like I _ask_ to have sex with Tom and Marisa."

Ginger glared at him. "I hate that whore. Every time I see her, she rubs it in my face that she's screwing you."

Jason wrapped his arms around Ginger and hugged her to him. She struggled to pull away from him for a moment then surrendered and leaned into him.

"I hate them both," she insisted, angry tears coursing down her face. "I hate them. I won't help them. Not anymore. Not again. I won't. I'm done."

Jason kissed the top of her head. "You know that's not an option. Pack a few days worth of clothes. I'm not sure how long we'll be gone. Jessica is going to watch the kids while we're away."

Ginger pushed away from Jason. "Tell him to get someone else," she said moodily. "I'm tired of being their puppet."

Jason sighed. "As much as I'd love to humor you, Ging, Tom specifically asked for you. You have to come. It wasn't a request. So, please go pack your stuff and kiss the kids goodnight for me. I'm gonna go take a shower because I don't want to smell like Marisa any longer than I have to."

"They can't make me come," Ginger insisted.

"I get it. You think I don't, but I do. I'd love to tell Tom where he can shove his little errands he assigns me. I'd love to, but I know I can't so I don't."

Ginger looked defeated. "That son of a bitch does everything he can to keep us at one another's throats."

Jason nodded in agreement. "He does, but we let him get away with it. So go pack your bag and get ready to leave. I'm going to go take a shower and try to wash Marisa away."

"If only it were that easy," Ginger said forlornly.

Jason kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Ging. I really am."

Ginger nodded sadly. "I know you are. Just go take your shower. I'll pack your bag for you."

"Pack the black slacks that I like if you would."

"I always do."

Jason showered while Ginger packed. The children were in bed by the time Jason was finished dressing, but he went to tell them goodnight anyway. He got Ginger, and they went to find Tom and Marisa.

They found them at the spot they were supposed to meet, groping one another like teenagers. They were standing behind a van that had its back doors propped open.

Ginger cleared her throat to show her annoyance at the display. "There'd better be a good reason I'm having to leave my kids and go off with you," she said.

Tom broke his attention away from Marisa long enough to answer. "There is. Now get in the van and shut up. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

Ginger waited expectantly for Jason to say something in her defense. When he didn't, Ginger huffed angrily and climbed into the vehicle.

Tom smirked at him. "You should get a leash for your bitch," he said. "That mouth of hers is going to get her into trouble."

Jason shrugged. "It definitely keeps things interesting, though," he replied and followed Ginger into the back of the van.

Ginger and Jason waited silently while Tom shut the doors behind them. The engine started after a moment, and Ginger waited until the vehicle was in motion to speak. "I know I don't make things easier on you, but the least you could do is be on my side."

Jason sighed. "I am on your side, Ging. You're just too caught up in pissing Tom off to see that."

"How are you on my side?" Ginger wanted to know. Her voice became shriller the longer she spoke. "Explain to me please how standing by and watching what happens to me is being on my side!"

"I'm trying to protect you!" Jason insisted, voice rising to match Ginger's. "All Tom needs is a reason, and not a very good one at that, and he'll be more than happy to make our kids motherless."

"Bullshit," Ginger spat at him. "You're just afraid to be a man and stand up to him. You're too busy being his fuck buddy to take up for me."

Jason reeled back as if he'd been slapped. Ginger clapped her hand over her mouth, a look of horror on her face. "I'm sorry, Jason. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean it. You know I didn't. I'm so sorry."

When Jason responded, it was with an icy calmness. "If I come to your rescue, he'll think I love you. If he thinks I love you, at some point it will amuse him to kill you while I watch. He's particularly fond of raping a woman and letting the adultery curse finish her. You know how when we were kids we all wondered if the adultery curse was even a real thing? I can assure you it is and that it is a particularly unpleasant way to die."

Ginger looked contrite as she watched Jason. "So where are we going?"

Jason shrugged. "I don't know."

Ginger looked alarmed. "Tom didn't tell you where we're going?"

Jason shook his head. "I guess we'll find out when we get there."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

It took Liz awhile to wake up. When she got there, she sat up, groaning as her muscles protested the movement.

Dean stirred beside her. "What time is it?" he mumbled without opening his eyes.

Liz looked around. "I don't know, but it's starting to get light."

Dean took a deep breath and let it out. He forced his eyes open, but they drifted back shut. He lay that way for several moments before rolling toward Liz. He put one arm across her lap and kissed the small of her back. He kissed along her spine as he sat up then kissed the top of her shoulder and tucked his chin over it.

"We need to get you a sandwich," he told her.

"What?" she asked, perplexed.

"You look like Sarah Connor in Terminator 2–buff, but in a scary way," he explained. "We need to get you a sandwich."

Liz leaned against him. "Well, I've spent the last five years hunting, working out, and fighting a curse that's slowly killing me. I ate when I thought about it." She sounded a little defensive.

"I'm not saying you're not hot. It's just that I miss the curves."

"I do, too," Liz admitted.

"There's really no way to fix you?"

"Not any I know of."

They sat in silence for a few moments, their thoughts in turmoil. Finally, Dean roused himself. "Bobby was obviously being lenient with the thirty minute thing. We probably have enough time to get a few hours of sleep in an actual bed if we want."

"I want you well rested when you leave with the kids," Liz agreed, starting to stand up.

Dean stopped her. "About that–have you lost your mind!?! We're about to be in the middle of a war and you're sending me to be a babysitter!?! I'm one of the best hunters we have!"

"I know you are. That's why I chose you to take the kids. I need to know that they're safe and you'll make sure that they are. Tom wants them, and I will die to make sure he doesn't get them. I know the awful things he has planned for them. I'm not letting that happen to them."

"And Linda's okay with me running off with her children?" Dean wondered.

"It's not her favorite idea ever, but she agrees that it makes sense. No one would expect you to have them, and she knows that you're capable of protecting them."

"Why can't _she_ protect them?"

Liz sighed. "Bobby's place is about to be under a full-scale assault. It'll be no place for a bunch of kids to be. Linda wouldn't make it out of town before they captured her and took all of the kids. And while you are public enemy one with Tom, I have faith that you can elude the guards he has watching this place. You'll have to leave the Impala, though."

"No."

Liz gave him a look. "Where are you going to put six children in the Impala?"

"It's a stupid idea to entrust me with six kids, Liz!"

"Are you refusing to do it?"

Dean looked unhappy. "You asked me to do it, so I will. I'd rather do something else, though."

Liz hugged him. "I need you to do this. It's the most important job I have."

Dean gave her a sullen look. "I said I'd do it, didn't I?"

Liz smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "Thank you, Dean." She turned and grabbed Dean's shirt and slid it over her head. "We should get to bed," she told him and stood up.

Dean's eyes were hungry as he gave her a once over.

Liz noticed. "Problem?" she asked coyly.

"If you're wanting to sleep, there is."

Liz laughed and grabbed her jeans. "If I remember correctly, _you're_ the one who mentioned sleeping."

Dean shrugged and pulled on his pants. "It's your word against mine, I guess," he said with a grin.

Liz stuck out her tongue, causing Dean to laugh. He stood up and headed to the door. "Ready for the duck and run?"

Liz suddenly looked a little horrified. "Everyone's gonna know what we were doing last night," she said, sounding like she just realized it.

Dean grabbed her by the hips and pulled her against him. "I hate to break it to you, but it's not exactly a secret what we did the night before, either."

Liz blushed. "I know, but it's weird for them to know that we were having sex. I'll be telling one of the hunters to do something, and I just know they'll be thinking about you and me naked together."

"You didn't seem to mind last night," Dean reminded her.

"I guess the harsh light of day has made me remember that I'm a prude."

Dean kissed her. "Liz, we're married. Married people have sex and that's okay."

"I know they have sex. I know it's nothing notable that we had sex. It's just weird that people were walking around talking while _knowing_ that we were having sex a room or two away. It's hard enough for me to get some of these hunters respect without them knowing that I was screwing you when I should have been working."

Dean kissed her. She leaned into the kiss, moaning when they opened their mouths and deepened it. When they broke the kiss, Liz kept her eyes closed, savoring the warmth spreading through her body. "You're right," she told Dean breathlessly, "It was totally worth it. Let the hunters talk."

Dean's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "I'm pretty smart for a guy you're screwing while you should be working."

Liz's face flooded with regret. "Dean, I didn't mean it like that."

Dean shrugged. "I know you didn't. Had to give you a hard time, though." He kissed her one more time then pulled her into the hall. "Come on, let's go."

Liz nearly tripped, causing them both to laugh giddily. Dean pulled her into a kiss twice on the way down the hall. When he grabbed her butt, Liz shoved him against the wall.

"Naughty, naughty," she teased, waving her finger at him. He laughed and closed what little distance there was between them.

A throat cleared beside them, and they jumped apart and spun to face whoever was there. Bobby was watching them with a disgruntled look. "People are sleeping," he reminded them.

Liz had become red. "Sorry, Bobby. We'll be quiet."

Dean hugged Liz from behind. "I'm not sorry," he said and started lavishing kisses on her neck.

Liz leaned into him. "Dean," she dragged out in a pleading voice.

Dean stopped kissing her but kept her in his embrace. He looked at Bobby. "Fine. We'll be quiet. Scout's honor."

"And you'll be up and raring to go in two hours?" Bobby posed this like it was a question, but the look on his face clearly said it was an order.

Dean pushed his hips against Liz's backside. "Oh, I'll be up," he quipped.

Liz's blush deepened. "We'll be up and at 'em," she promised.

Bobby nodded once and started back to his room. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to them. "I know I'm being a hardass but that's because I have to be. I really am happy that the two of you are working everything out."

"Thanks," Liz said. Dean nodded.

Bobby motioned them on. "Enjoy your morning, and I'll see you later."

Dean waited until Bobby went back in his room then slid his hands up to cup Liz's breasts. She swatted them away.

"We have to be quiet," she whispered.

"I didn't say a thing," Dean replied in a normal voice. He laughed when Liz glared at him then he dragged her the rest of the way to her room.

Liz walked in front of him into the room and collapsed on the bed with a sigh of relief. "Ah, my dear bed, I've missed you," she said and buried her head in the pillows.

Dean smiled. "Don't get too comfortable," he told her. "We still have some things to work out."

Liz sat up on her elbows so she could see Dean better. "Oh?" she wondered, her face a mask of curiosity and a little concern.

Dean laid beside her and propped himself on one elbow. Liz rolled to mirror him. "Yeah. We need to address the issue of clothing and how you're wearing too much of it."

Liz's look of concern melted into a smile. "What about sleep?" she countered.

"Overrated. We can sleep when we're dead."

Liz kissed Dean on the cheek. "Or we could sleep now. Let's sleep. We'll sneak away before you leave."

Dean's body tensed. "Liz, I'm not leaving you. Forget it."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not. Sam can take the kids to this safe house you have set up. I'm staying with you."

"Sam has his own job to worry about. I trust him with that job and you with the one I gave you."

Dean sighed. "Let's get some rest. We can argue about this when my head is a little less foggy."

"Being more alert is not going to make you win this argument."

Dean cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, yeah? I guess we'll see."

Liz cracked her knuckles. "I guess we will."

XXX

Liz woke feeling more invigorated than she had in years. She calculated that she had been asleep for little more than an hour. The lack of movement around the house told her that most people hadn't woken up yet. Dean was still asleep beside her, so she untangled herself from him, careful not to wake him, and crawled out of bed. She quickly dressed in workout clothes and headed outside.

She ran into Bobby in the kitchen. He was having breakfast and stopped her with a wave.

"Hey, Bobby," she greeted. The smile she gave him was a little more tentative than usual due to the remnants of her embarrassment.

There was nothing tentative about Bobby's answering grin. "You look chipper. How do you feel?"

"I feel good–better than in a long time."

Bobby looked hopeful. "That's good."

Liz shrugged. "Maybe. I'm not getting my hopes up."

"Any change in the mark?"

Liz shook her head. "Not that I can tell."

"It took five years to get that way. We gotta remember that it's probably not going to go away overnight."

Liz looked at the floor. "Or at all."

"We'll find something, Liz," Bobby promised.

Liz tried to hide her skepticism. "If Dean wakes up, will you let him know I went for a run?"

Bobby tipped his drink at her. "Sure thing, kid."

"Thanks."

"Liz?"

"Yeah, Bobby?"

"I gave the two of you some time because I thought you deserved it. It doesn't change anything though. Dean is going to leave today, and so are you."

Liz rolled her eyes. "You act like I haven't been doing what needs to be done since I was a child. I know what I have to do, and I'll do it without complaining. I'm grateful for last night, but it didn't make me forget that the fate of the whole world is resting on me."

"Glad to hear it."

"Anything else?" Liz asked sullenly.

"Enjoy your run."

"Oh, I will," she said only a little bit acidly. She hurried out of the room before Bobby could think of something else to say. She didn't bother stretching, just headed straight for the woods.

She wove in and out of the trees as she ran. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, but her energy soon waned and she slowed to a walk. She found a fallen tree and sat on it, gulping in deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart. She laid back on the tree and waited for her legs to stop feeling like jell-o.

She'd only been lying there a few moments when she heard leaves rustling near her. She sat up and scanned the area to see what was making the commotion.

A man appeared from behind some bushes and pulled up short when he saw her. He clapped a hand over his heart and stifled a gasp of surprise. "God, you scared me! I didn't know anyone else was out here."

"Me either," Liz replied. She tried to place him and finally did. "You're Jeremy, right?"

The man smiled. "Right. And you're Liz."

"Guilty."

"Care if I join you?" he asked, pointing to the space beside her.

Liz shrugged. "Sure. I was just thinking while I caught my breath."

"These woods are good for that," Jeremy agreed as he sat next to her.

Liz shifted so they weren't touching. "That they are."

They sat in uncomfortable silence for several more moments before Jeremy broke it. "Can I tell you something?" he wondered.

Liz wasn't really in the mood for a heart-to-heart with a stranger but didn't want to be rude. "Sure."

"I never thought my life would turn out like this," he admitted.

"Oh?" Liz answered distractedly.

"Yeah. When I met Jo, I thought my life had taken a wonderful turn for the better and that nothing would ever be the same again. I was right about nothing being the same," he said, staring at Liz intently. "I know about Jo and Dean," he told her matter-of-factly.

Liz was startled by the revelation. "What do you mean?" she asked, eyes widening in alarm.

Jeremy got angry. "Don't do that! Don't play dumb! I know you know about them. And don't get that pitying look in your eyes, either. Everyone in this place looks at me with pity. It drives me crazy, so don't do it."

Liz was at a loss for words.

Jeremy laughed bitterly. "You don't know what to say, do you?" Liz shook her head slowly. "No one knows what to say," he told her. "They all just stay out of it because it makes them uncomfortable." He paused and looked at Liz. "Do you want to know a secret?"

Liz was still trying to wrap her head around Jeremy knowing about Dean and Jo. She was, however, quite sure that she did not want to know Jeremy's secret. "I-I guess," she said anyway.

Jeremy grinned a huge grin. "Jo's pregnant."

Shock and horror replaced the sympathy and confusion Liz had been feeling. She felt like she'd been stabbed in the gut. "What?" she demanded, voice barely above a whisper.

Jeremy laughed a Liz's reaction. "Don't worry; it's not Dean's. That's the ironic thing. Jo screwed him every chance she got for the better part of two years and never got pregnant. She sleeps with me one time a couple months ago and that's all it takes."

"Congratulations?" Liz offered uncertainly.

"Thanks," Jeremy accepted jubilantly.

Liz turned everything over in her mind. "Does Dean know?" she wondered.

Jeremy's face hardened. "Every bitch I meet thinks of that bastard first. Tell me, why is that?" he asked coldly.

Liz glared at him. "I can't imagine that Dean would continue with even the hint of anything with Jo if he knew this," she reasoned.

"Right," Jeremy replied sarcastically, "since he's proven himself to be such a stand up guy and all. I'm sure he would quit sleeping with the married woman just because her husband knocked her up. What are you going to tell me next? That his screwing my wife has nothing to do with my and his friendship? I know that's what he says."

Liz looked away guiltily. "No one in their right mind would expect you to like Dean. I understand why you don't."

Jeremy laughed bitterly again. "I've known they were sleeping together almost the entire time it's been going on," he said, raw emotion in his voice. He met Liz's sympathetic eyes. "I know what you're thinking–What kind of a man knows his wife is a cheating whore and doesn't do anything about it?"

"Actually, that wasn't what I was thinking."

"Don't lie, Liz!" he shouted angrily. "It's okay. I've often wondered it myself as I lay in bed alone knowing where she was. The crazy thing is that, despite everything, I can't stop loving her."

Liz stood up and was glad to find that her legs didn't wobble. She still felt weak, but she would be able to make it back to Bobby's now. She looked at Jeremy. "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help."

Jeremy stood up, too. "It's funny you should mention that," he told her calmly. A slightly unhinged look came into his eyes.

Liz took a step away from him as he took one toward her. He answered every retreating step with an advancing one of his own.

"You know, Liz, I see what Dean sees in you. You are so nice and understanding. I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of this. I really am. Unfortunately for you, you did."

Liz turned to run, but Jeremy grabbed her before she could get away. He forced a necklace with a charm on it around her neck while she struggled. "Wouldn't want you sending a distress signal to Dean," he explained.

Liz fought against Jeremy's grip but she was weakened from all the activity of the morning and he was surprisingly strong. She couldn't break free, try as she might. He maneuvered her to where he was holding her with one arm and pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

"Shh," he soothed softly as he emptied the contents of the syringe into her. "This won't hurt." He held her while she fought feebly against him. She tried to pull the necklace off her neck but he stopped her.

"Now, now, Liz, that won't do at all," he scolded as if she were a small child. "We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for Dean. He took what I loved most in the world away from me, and now I'm returning the favor. It's only fair."

Liz's chin started to quiver as she fought against tears. The tears started to slide down her face anyway. She was quickly losing consciousness and knew it.

When her fighting against him was nearly nonexistent, Jeremy shifted so he was speaking in her ear. "I'm sorry, Liz," he told her in a shaking voice. His bravado was leaving him. "You shouldn't have to pay for your husband's mistakes."

Liz passed out, and Jeremy laid her in the grass. He wiped the tears off her face then rubbed his away as well. He picked her back up and carried her to his vehicle. He had stowed it out of sight and managed to get her in the trunk without being noticed.

The hunter who was watching the entrance to Bobby's property flagged him down as he tried to drive through. Jeremy tensed as he slowed to a halt and rolled down his window.

"You're making the grocery run, right?" the hunter asked.

Jeremy relaxed. "Yeah. You need something?"

"Could you get some chocolate chip cookies? I've been jonesing for one in the worst way."

"Chocolate chip cookies. Got it."

The man thanked him and waved him through.

Jeremy sighed in relief as he exited Bobby's property. He drove the car to a secluded area several miles from Bobby's property and waited. While he did, he popped the trunk and checked on Liz. "I'm going to hell," he mumbled as he looked down at her.

"More than likely," a voice from behind him agreed.

Jeremy jumped and whipped around to face Tom Barrister. He hadn't even heard anyone drive up, but sure enough, a sleek sports car and a van had pulled in behind him.

"If I know Dean Winchester at all, you'll probably be going there sooner than you like when he finds out what you've done," Tom taunted. He looked completely out of place in his Armani suit. It somehow made him seem that much more intimidating. He peered into the trunk but had no visible reaction to what he saw. "I see you have my package," he said.

"She should be out for a while," Jeremy stuttered out. "I gave her a full vial of that stuff you gave me. That was about twenty minutes ago."

"Good," Tom replied. He clapped his hands. "Jason?"

Jason emerged from the back of the van in a suit that was on par with Tom's. Jeremy couldn't help but wonder at the practicality of wearing a suit to pick up a kidnapping victim. He shook off his errant thoughts and focused on the two men.

"Yes?" Jason asked with an edge to his voice.

Tom smiled without warmth. "I'm happy to say that the package I was expecting arrived safely. Get it for me. It's in this man's trunk."

Jason gave Tom a long-suffering look before walking to the open trunk. "If I was going to be doing heavy lifting, at least I could have foregone the tie," he complained. He gave a gasp of surprise when he saw Liz and jerked his head around to gape at Tom. A split second later, his calm exterior had slid back into place.

"What do you want me to do with her?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Put her in the van. She'll ride with you until we get where we're going. She'll have a cell waiting at this place, and I'm sure that Ginger will find the torture devices to her liking. She can get started as soon as she's ready once we get there."

"She likes to use her own knives. She never leaves home without them."

Tom smiled coldly. "I know. I was planning to have her warm them up on my rat." He jerked his head toward Jeremy. "He's so pathetic, though, that I've changed my mind."

Jeremy was growing paler by the minute. "You never said anything about torturing her. That's not what I agreed to," he protested. "You certainly never said anything about torturing me."

Tom bellowed out a laugh. "What did you think we were going to do with her? Braid her hair?" He looked at Jason. "Get Liz in the van," he commanded him.

Jason picked Liz up and took her to the van. He pounded on the door as well as he could while holding her.

Ginger swung the door open and leaned out, looking around curiously. Her eyes grew wide as she took in Liz. She jerked her gaze up to meet Jason's. An unhappy look passed between them.

Jason looked down at Liz. "I need to put her in the van," he explained.

"Of course," Ginger replied, scurrying out of the way.

Jason maneuvered himself into the van lay Liz down gently. "Take care of her," he told Ginger without looking away from Liz. He started to leave but Ginger stopped him.

"Jason, talk to me," she begged.

Jason hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "This is not good," he told her quietly.

Ginger squeezed him tighter. "I know."

They stayed embracing one another for a few moments then Jason disentangled himself. "I gotta go, Ging."

He crawled back out of the van. All trace of emotion was gone from his face as he walked back around to Tom and Jeremy.

Tom was grinning. "Admit it; you're a little impressed."

Jason threw up his hands. "I'm a lot impressed. I didn't think Liz would make herself vulnerable enough to be caught so easily."

Tom glanced at Jeremy, who was watching the other two men warily. "You just have to know the right people. I knew I'd met the man for the job the first time I saw Jeremy. He had hate coming off of him in waves." Tom glanced at Jason. "He's the blonde's husband. He got tired of Dean plowing his wife, so he decided to do something about it."

Jason cocked an eyebrow at Jeremy. "By passive-aggressively taking it out on someone who had nothing to do with the situation? Ah, the measure of a man."

Tom laughed when Jeremy ducked his head in shame. He gave Jason a look filled with pride. "You do have a way of getting to the heart of a matter."

Jason brushed off the comment. "Want me to kill this bozo?"

Tom shook his head. "No, I want him to go and tell his little blonde slut and Dean what he's done. I want him to have to face the fact that he just caused another person to be tortured within an inch of her life. So, no, don't kill him. Take his car and leave him here to walk back to the old man's place."

He nodded at Jason, and Jason immobilized Jeremy. Tom leaned so he was speaking in Jeremy's ear. "You know that feeling you're feeling?" he asked him. "That's regret." He took a step back and lightly slapped Jeremy's cheek a few times. "You'd better get back before someone missed you." He gave him a cruel smile and walked away without a backward glance. He knew Jason would take care of him.


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: **I know that it has been a long time between updates. Sorry. My next two chapters are written and with my beta. Hopefully they will be up sometime next week.

**Chapter 18**

Jo paced the floor as she debated what to do. She stopped pacing long enough to pull her phone out and once again call Jeremy. The call went straight to voicemail.

Jo pushed away the worry she felt and left yet another message for her husband. "Jeremy, this is not funny. You had better be maimed when you get back, or you'll wish you had been. Call me the second you get this! Please."

Jo flipped the phone closed and tucked it into her back pocket. She was officially worried about Jeremy, which meant it was time to get Bobby involved. She knew that he would get mad and probably yell at her, but it was worth it if it meant that Jeremy came home safe. If Jeremy was hurt or worse because she wanted ice cream, she was never going to forgive herself.

Decision made, Jo went to find Bobby. When she found him, she took a deep, calming breath before she began. "Now before you start yelling," she prefaced, "you need to know that this was all my idea and that I'm sorry."

"What was your idea?" Bobby asked angrily.

"Um...I sent Jeremy to the store for ice cream. He's not back yet, and he's not answering his phone. You can get mad at me later. Right now we need to find him."

"We found him."

Jo shook her head. "I don't think you understand. Jeremy is–"

"–in the barn," Bobby interrupted.

Jo was confused. "Why is he there? What's going on?"

"That's what we'd like to know. We found him about an hour ago tangled in a magical trap on the perimeter. It looks like he was trying to sneak back into the place and got caught. We haven't been able to get him to say anything but a bunch of gibberish."

"I don't understand. Why wouldn't he just use the front gate? He was just going for groceries."

"We can't find Liz."

Jo quickly became offended. "Wait! Are you saying that you think Jeremy did something to Liz. That's just...just..."

"We know he did something to her. He told us he did. The only sensible thing he's said is that he hurt Liz. He won't tell us anything else about it, though, and Alex's patience is running thin."

"What's going to happen to him?" Jo asked, her voice small and scared.

Bobby sighed. "I don't know."

Jo did the only thing she could think to do and started pleading with Bobby. "I know this is bad, Bobby, but Jeremy's the father of my child. I'm pregnant, and without a doubt, he's the dad. I don't want my baby's father remembered like this. Give him a chance to make it right. Please. Please, Bobby."

"I can't make any promises," Bobby responded. His voice was tired and Jo could tell that he was, too.

"Let me talk to him. I'm sure I'll be able to get him to talk to me. Please."

Bobby nodded. "That might work. He's definitely not responding to Alex's attempts at persuasion."

Jo gasped. "Is he okay, Bobby?"

"He'll live. I'm not sure the same can be said about Liz."

Jo's eyes widened. "What about Dean? Where is he in all this?"

"He's asleep in his bed. I'm counting on him being there another two to three hours."

"You're not going to wake him up to let him know that Liz is missing?" Jo wondered, shocked.

Bobby's glare pinned her where she stood. "No, and neither are you. Until we know more about what happened, I'm going to let him get some rest. He needs it."

"He'll never forgive you for keeping this from him. You know that, don't you?"

Bobby shrugged. "That's a chance I'm willing to take."

The two of them walked silently for a few more steps. "Are you going to be a problem on this?" Bobby asked.

Jo shook her head. "Dean not being here is keeping my husband alive. As far as I'm concerned, we can keep it from him until the world ends."

They stopped outside the barn door, and Jo took a deep breath to steel herself. She looked at Bobby expectantly. "Who's in there?" she wondered.

"Alex and Cassie are interrogating him. Katy's with them because she's the one who found him. I couldn't trust her to keep this quiet, so I thought it'd be best to keep her close."

Jo nodded. "That's probably for the best." She started tugging the door to the barn open and noticed Bobby was not following her. "Are you coming?" she asked.

Bobby shook his head. "I have something I need to take care of while y'all are doing this."

Jo nodded and entered the barn. It took a moment for her eyes adjusted to the light, and when they did, she bit back a gasp of surprise as she took in Jeremy's state. He was tied to a chair and blood was everywhere. She ran to him and started tugging at his bonds trying to loosen them. Alex pulled her away from him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked angrily. He picked her up and slung her away from Jeremy.

Jo tumbled across the floor and rolled to a stop. She sat up and glared at Alex. "I came to help you. What have you done?"

Alex glanced at Jeremy and rolled his eyes. "A lot less than he deserves. The next time you try to let him go, you're going to join him."

Jo stood up and brushed herself off. "Let me talk to him," she told Alex.

Alex shrugged. "As long as you talk with your mouth and not with your hands."

Jo walked over to Jeremy and positioned herself so he could only see her. "Jeremy, baby, I need you to tell me what happened. Did something happen with Liz?"

Jeremy squeaked and started mumbling incoherently. Jo took a step away from him, shocked at how bad of shape he was in. She turned to Alex and Cassie then glanced at Katy, who was watching from one corner, her eyes the size of saucers.

"Maybe he's not talking because he doesn't know anything. Something clearly happened to him, but he seems to be in shock. He may need medical attention."

"Boo-frickin-hoo," Cassie replied. "He's not going anywhere until he tells us something useful. If you suggest otherwise again, I'm going to throw you out on your ass."

Alex smiled. "What she said."

Jo hugged herself and turned back to Jeremy. "Sweetheart, I need you to tell me what happened to Liz. They think you did something bad to her, but I know you could never do that. I need you to tell me what happened to her so that we can prove them wrong."

Jeremy gulped. He met Jo's eyes, and Jo could see the tears forming there. "I killed her," he whispered. "It's all my fault. I killed her."

Jo could hear Alex and Cassie moving toward them and held up a hand to tell them to stay back. "What do you mean you killed her? Liz is dead?" There was a giant lump forming in Jo's throat at thought.

"It's all my fault!" he wailed. "I gave her to him. He's going to kill her, and I helped him. It's all my fault that he has her." He looked at Jo with pleading eyes. "I didn't know. You have to believe me that I didn't know. He told me that nothing was going to happen to her. I know it was stupid to believe him, but I was just so angry at Dean that I couldn't think straight. You understand, don't you? Please tell me you understand. Please."

Jo tried to keep the horror she was feeling from showing on her face. "Of course I believe you, Jeremy." She glanced at Alex and Cassie's unhappy faces then focused on Jeremy again. "I need you to tell me who you gave Liz to, Jeremy. Can you do that for me?"

Tears were spilling down Jeremy's face. "Yes," he rasped. "I can do that. I gave her to her brother."

"You son of a bitch!" Alex exploded. He started toward Jeremy, but Jo put herself between them. Alex shoved her out of the way and punched Jeremy hard enough that it flipped the chair he was in. His head made a sickening sound when it hit the floor then he was still.

Jo was crying as she lunged for Jeremy. "Please be okay!" she begged. "Please be okay!" She pulled Jeremy's head into her lap and cried while he lay there unconscious. After a few minutes, Jeremy groggily regained consciousness. Jo cried out in relief and kissed his forehead. "You're okay," she repeated over and over.

Cassie tapped Alex on the shoulder to pull his attention away from the scene between Jo and Jeremy. "Hey," she said quietly, "why don't you go find Bobby and let him know that we know what happened to Liz. He would want to know. Katy and I'll watch things here."

Alex nodded and handed Cassie his gun. "If that piece of crap tries anything, take care of it."

"I will," she promised.

XXX

"So Jeremy gave Liz to Tom," Bobby repeated. Alex gave him a confirming nod, and Bobby sighed. "Well, this complicates things."

"What do you want me to do with Jeremy?" Alex asked.

"I'll take care of him," Bobby responded.

"But–"

Alex's protest was cut short. "I'll take care of him," Bobby repeated in a clipped tone. "I need you and Cassie to take Katy and get the heck out of Dodge. I'm reassigning the three of you to find Liz. Leave as soon as you can."

Alex nodded. "Fine. What about Dean?"

Bobby glared at him. "I'll take care of Dean, too."

XXX

Bobby waited to wake Dean until Alex and Cassie had left with Katy. It had been less than three hours since Liz had told him she was going running, but it felt like a lifetime had passed.

Bobby could tell that Dean was still exhausted when he opened the door. "Rise and shine, Dean. It's time to head out."

Dean yawned and stretched. "Yeah, okay. You seen Liz?" he wondered.

Bobby's face revealed nothing. "She left already."

Bobby wasn't sure he'd ever seen Dean look so vulnerable. "She left?" he repeated. "What do you mean she left?"

"She saw reason, Dean. It's time to get to work, and she didn't think she could do that if she stayed to say goodbye to you.."

Dean shook his head. "That's bullshit. This has got to be some kind of joke. Liz said that she would see me later and we would say goodbye. She wouldn't just leave."

"She didn't want to, but I convinced her she should."

Dean's jaw worked as he wrestled with what to say in response to that. Bobby hated what he was doing but knew it needed to be done. "She said that you could call her," he said, handing Dean a piece of paper with a number on it.

"How generous of her," Dean replied in a flat voice.

"I'm sorry, Dean. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. I'm the one who convinced her to go."

"And she's the one who went."

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments. Finally, Bobby cleared his throat. "It's time for you to leave. Do you need any help with anything?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "This has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever been assigned to do."

Bobby shrugged. "Liz trusts you with it, so I do, too. She made a very persuasive argument as to why you had to be the one who does this."

Dean rolled his eyes again. "I'm not taking six kids to some bunker seven states away Bobby. If there's a fight, I want in on it. And if Liz is involved, I _really_ want in on it."

Bobby yawned. "I need a nap. I'm going to go help you load the kids then I'm going to sleep for a couple of hours. When I wake up, you're already going to be across the state line."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Liz left because she knew that her family was going to be safe with you taking care of them. You're going to do this for Liz to prove her right."

"Fine. Is Sam already gone, too?"

"I don't know. Possibly. I've had other things on my mind."

"I'm gonna go wish him luck. I'll meet you at the car."

XXX

"Did you find him?" Bobby asked.

Dean shrugged. "Nah. I guess he already left."

The slightest hint of concern flashed across Bobby's face, but he pushed it away just as quickly. "Sorry."

Dean shrugged again, but Bobby could tell he was upset. "See you in a week," he said.

"See you then."

Linda appeared with the kids and started loading their bags into the Impala.

"Mommy, I don't want to go with him," Sofie whined.

"Mr. Dean," Linda corrected. "Call him Mr. Dean."

"Actually, just Dean," Dean chimed in. "Not Mr. Dean. Just Dean."

Linda ignored him. "You guys be good, or Mr. Dean will let me know."

"Just Dean," Dean repeated.

Once again he was ignored. "We'll be good, Mommy," Chris assured her. His brave façade broke a little as he asked her, "Why can't we stay with you?"

Linda choked back tears. She patted his head while she recovered herself. "Because Mommy has to help Mr. Bobby. Mr. Dean is taking you on a trip until we get done."

Isabelle looked through her lashes at Dean. "Aunt Lindsey said…"

"Aunt Liz," Linda corrected.

"Aunt Liz said that Mr. Dean was…" she trailed off and looked to Sofie and Mitchell. "What did she say he was?"

"Surly," Sofie supplied sullenly.

Linda snorted in amusement, and Dean shook his head.

Isabelle nodded. "Right. Surly. Aunt…Liz said that Mr. Dean was surly but that he was nice under that. You promise he'll be nice?" she asked her mom.

Linda nodded. "I promise. He will take good care of you and probably buy you candy if you are really good and listen to him. And if he does anything you don't approve of, call me and I'll get it straightened out."

Isabelle considered Linda for a moment then nodded once. "I guess it'll be okay to go on a trip with Mr. Dean." She turned to her siblings. "We're going on a trip with Mr. Dean."

Mitchell rolled his eyes and pushed her. "Like we have any choice, idiot."

"Mitchell," Linda said, a warning tone in her voice.

"Sorry, Mom," he mumbled.

"I'm not the one you should apologize to."

Mitchell sighed. "Sorry, Bell," he said. He waited until Linda wasn't looking and stuck his tongue out at Isabelle. Isabelle stomped his foot in response.

"Mom! Isabelle stepped on my foot!"

"That's enough, all of you! Go to Mr. Bobby, and he'll help load you in the car." Linda waited for the kids to leave then turned to Dean. "You sure you're ready for this?" she wondered.

"No."

Linda patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine. Liz trusted you with them, so I'm going to, too. That said, if there is one scratch on my babies when I see them again, I will show you pain that you never imagined existed."

A smile tugged at Dean's mouth. "I'm starting to see the family resemblance," he said.

Linda's answering smile was watery. "Promise you'll keep them safe?"

Dean nodded. "I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

"They're ready," Bobby interrupted.

Dean took one last look around the place. "I better get on the road," he said, sounding miserable.

Bobby and Linda watched as Dean drove away. As soon as he had passed through the gates, Bobby was on his phone calling Sam.

Sam answered on the fifth ring. "Bobby, before you say anything, I had to do this. Lauren could be in trouble, so I had to go get her and bring her to safety. I know you probably won't agree, but it's something that I have to do."

"Sam, get your ass back here before it's too late," Bobby snapped.

"No. I'll come back when I have Lauren."

"Sam, get your–"

"I'll see you in a few days," he said and hung up.

Bobby closed his phone with a sigh. "Damn it, boy. The last thing I need right now is for you to make things harder."

XXX

"Wakey-wakey," Ginger cooed at Liz's unconscious form.

Liz eventually stirred, struggling into wakefulness.

"Did you miss me?" Ginger asked with a feral grin.

Liz squinted at Ginger. "Where am I?"

Ginger laughed. "I'll be asking the questions here," she said and punched Liz in the face hard enough to knock her back into unconsciousness.

Jason sighed. "Was that really necessary?" he wondered. "You have as long as you want to torture her."

Ginger grinned. "Was it necessary? No. Was it fun? Absolutely." She clucked at him. "You know that first impressions are important," she reminded him cheekily.

He shook his head at her. "What am I going to do with you?"

She smiled at him. "Love me forever, that's what." All trace of her good mood was gone as she turned to the other men in the room with her. "What are you waiting for?" she snapped. "She's not going to string herself up."

The men tripped over themselves to do Ginger's bidding. When they had Liz strung up on chains, they stepped away so that Ginger could survey their work. Ginger took in the sight of Liz hanging from rusty chains, stringy hair falling in her face as her head lolled forward, and she smiled. She looked at Jason and had one thing to say. "This is going to be fun."

XXX

_Three Days Later_

"Okay, Bobby, I'm here," Dean told him through the phone. "No one else is, though. I thought I was dropping the kids off with someone and then coming back to your place for further instructions."

"About that," Bobby explained, "I lied."

"You lied?"

"Yes. No one's coming to meet you. You are going to protect the kids. You can't get out and no one else can get in. Sorry we had to trick you, but we knew that you would never go along with it if you knew that you were going to be stuck where you are with a bunch of kids you don't know."

"Bobby, that's not funny. When does the calvary arrive?"

"I'm sorry Dean. Food has been stockpiled in the community kitchen. Try not to call more than necessary."

Dean hung up the phone angrily. He pulled the piece of paper Bobby had given him out of his pocket and dialed Liz's number. The call went straight to voicemail, and Dean flipped his phone closed angrily.

Christopher tugged on Dean's shirt. "Where are we, Mr. Dean?" he wondered, eyes wide as he took in the compound.

Dean's jaw ticked as he struggled to control his anger. "Oklahoma. We're in Okla-freaking-homa."


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** Sorry it has taken so long to update. My best friend got engaged and married in a whirlwind 4 months, so I was caught up in that. Plus, this chapter has given me fits. I think this is about the 9 millionth draft of it. Hope you like it. Not much happens, but it leads up to lots of stuff happening in the next few chapters.

Also, the poem in this chapter is "No te amo" by Pablo Neruda (i.e., "I Do Not Love You"). If you've never read it, you should check it out. There are a number of good English translations.

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Two Weeks Later_

Sam loomed above Liz. She tried to get up but he stopped her.

"We have to do this," he reasoned, "otherwise they'll never let us leave."

"I'm not going to..." Liz trailed off as Sam kissed her where her jaw met her neck. He trailed kisses across her collarbone and down the valley between her breasts. Liz fingers tangled in his hair. When did she become naked? But she didn't have time to worry about that. Sam was whispering in Spanish as he mapped her skin with kisses and his tongue. "No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio o flecha de claveles que propagan eñ fuego." He kissed her stomach then licked his way back to her collarbone and started on the other side of her body. "Te amo como se aman ciertas cosa oscuras, secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma." Liz recognized the poem but couldn't think enough to place it as Sam continued to whisper it against her skin. "Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores, y gracias tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra."

Without Liz really realizing what was happening, they started making love. She vaguely had a notion that something was wrong about this but couldn't remember what it could be. She chased after the feeling for a moment but couldn't quite catch it.

Sam noticed her distraction and stopped what he was doing. When she focused on him again, he finished reciting the poem, all the while staring directly at her, pinning her with his gaze. "Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde, te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo: así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera, sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres, tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía, tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño."

They stared at one another for an intense moment after he stopped talking, then they were making love in earnest. Liz forgot her doubts, forgot everything other than that her body felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending at attention for Sam. All she wanted was Sam; all she could think about was Sam. Something tried to flit across her mind, but Sam shifted and it was gone. His head was now by her ear, and all she could hear was their ragged breathing. Her name spilled from his lips, and his voice somehow managed to sound both strangled and prayer-like all at once. "Liz!" She had heard her name said like that before, and it hadn't been Sam who had said it. "Liz." This time was more of a moan. It caused something to pound insistently against her consciousness. "Oh, Liz," Sam moaned again then lightly bit her shoulder. Sam...Sam did this. Sam. Sam? But then that wasn't right. It should have been...Dean. Dean? Sam's brother Dean? Liz couldn't think of what Dean had to do with anything. There was a moment of confusion for Liz as she struggled to remember. Suddenly she did. Dean! How could she forget Dean?

Liz pushed against Sam, who ignored her. "Sam, stop," she demanded. He looked up at her, and because he was Sam and not a demon wearing Sam's face, he stopped. He sat back on his heels and watched her.

"What's wrong?"

Liz swallowed. "This. Everything. Don't you remember? Dean is..."

Sam sighed. "So you remembered. Took you longer than last time."

Liz shook her head to try to clear it but was having a hard time. "You're not Sam," she said matter-of-factly. So much for it not being a demon wearing Sam's face.

"True."

"What are you then? Incubus? Something like that?"

The thing with Sam's face smiled. "Something like that."

"And I'm asleep."

"Yes."

"I'd like to wake up."

Sam brushed across her lips with his thumb. "Of course. See you next time, sweetheart."

Liz knocked his hand away. "Word to the wise, Sam would not call me 'sweetheart.'"

"Duly noted." Sam rolled off of her. "See you tonight if not sooner," he said and then was gone.

Liz woke up to a bare room. She was chained to the floor and was still wearing the clothing she had worked out in when she was kidnapped. When the smell got too bad, someone came and sprayed her down with a hose. Liz was disoriented, so it took her a moment to realize that Ginger was in the room watching her.

"Pleasant dreams?" she asked.

Liz pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. "Screw you," she spat at her.

Ginger smiled faintly. "It's getting harder to remember why you're supposed to wake up, isn't it?" she said. "Before long, you won't even remember Dean at all. Then you won't know why you and Sam is wrong. You'll only remember that screwing Sam is what you quite literally were born to do."

Liz was so exhausted she didn't even bother with a retort. The circles under her eyes looked black she was so tired and sleep deprived. She hadn't gotten more than three hours of sleep a night since she had gotten here. She could see the curse creeping down her arm and knew it was only a matter of days before she died. She hoped it was soon. She wanted to die with whatever memories of Dean she could.

Ginger stepped closer. "Don't take this the wrong way. It's not that I didn't enjoy the last memory you gave me. I'm sure that Dean would be delighted to think that the thought of him kept you going as you were facing down big, bad evil in Asia Minor, but I was hoping for something a little juicier than that. Something more like this." Ginger grabbed Liz's head, and Liz couldn't help it: she screamed. The memory being pulled from her burned and when it was gone, she felt bereft even though she couldn't have said why. Then Ginger's memory was flooding in to replace Liz's lost one. It felt foreign and...wrong. It was a memory Ginger had of the night she and Jason had conceived their second child. Liz felt tears spring to her eyes. Whatever Ginger had taken from her must have been important for that memory to have been the trade.

Liz's memory must have shaken Ginger just a little because she stayed near Liz just a moment too long. Liz struck faster than Ginger would have thought possible, grabbing Ginger's head and forcing the memory she had conjured into Ginger's head while taking one of Ginger's in its place.

It was Ginger's turn to scream. She stumbled away from Liz, breaking the grip Liz had on her as she did so. She scrambled as far away from Liz as she could, stopping only when her back was against the wall. "What did you do?" she demanded. "You stupid bitch, what did you do?"

Liz's face was ashen. She gulped in a deep breath of air and slid to the floor. "That's how you're supposed to torture someone," she said through her labored breaths. "I took your best memory and gave you my worst."

Ginger kept her back to the wall and remained facing Liz. "And you're telling me that having your memories of Dean replaced by ones of Jason—knowing that soon you may not remember Dean at all, only Jason, who you never wanted or loved—you're telling me that's not torture? Bullshit, Liz."

A sheen of sweat rose on Liz's forehead. She looked down at her arm. The curse had visibly progressed after expending so much energy. The next time she tried something so rash, it would more than likely kill her. She swallowed to try and keep herself from passing out. When she felt like any danger of doing so had passed, she looked up at Ginger again. "You're right. It's torture. I can't sleep without dreaming about Sam, and now my head is full of Jason. What I don't get is you. How can you trade your life, your memories, your love? You're giving away your _life_. To me of all people. How can you live with yourself? Why does Jason let you do it? Doesn't it bother you at all?"

Ginger looked unmoved by Liz's impassioned speech. All she said was, "We all do what we think we have to to get by."

Both women jumped as the door was suddenly flung open. Ginger hurriedly stood at attention and faced Tom as he strode into the room followed by two men dragging a very limp Sam between them.

Tom looked at Ginger with something akin to disgust. "Any progress?"

Ginger shook her head. "I've tried everything. I've nearly completely erased Dean from her memories. It's not there."

Tom glared. "I knew I should have dealt with her myself. I knew you would be too soft to do what needs to be done. Leave. I'll handle things from here."

Ginger looked panicked. "But..."

"Don't make me tell you again."

Ginger wasn't stupid. She looked unhappy as she did it, but she left without another word.

Tom waited until the door had closed behind her before he spoke. "I'm sure you think it's rude that I've yet to come and see you. I can assure you I've been keeping close tabs on Ginger's progress. She insists that you have no memories of having birthed a child. I think she just hasn't been firm enough. So, in that vein, first I'm going to show you what I've done to Sam, and then I'm going to get you to tell me where your child is. Sound fair?"

Liz glared at him silently. He laughed and nodded at the two men. They dropped Sam to the floor. Liz watched him warily, but was too tired to fight whatever was going to happen.

It took Sam a minute to move. When he did move, he looked up at Liz with a completely blank expression. Liz wasn't entirely sure that he recognized her at all. They stared at one another for a moment, then Sam was moving toward her.

Liz had only thought she had no fight in her. Sam grabbed the back of her neck, and every instinct for survival that she possessed screamed at her. She fought to break his hold, kicking and scratching and trying to move away from him. Her attempts didn't seem to faze him. He had her pinned in a matter of seconds. Then his tongue was in her mouth and panic was bubbling up within her. She couldn't remember why she should be so panicked other than it had something to do with the memory she had forced on Ginger.

Sam pulled back for a breath, and when he did, he looked at Liz like he was trying to steel himself for what came next. Liz felt a bubble of hope well up inside of her. "Please," she begged, making herself sound as pathetic as possible.

Sam looked tortured. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just want it to be over with. They promised it would be over with if I would do this."

Liz bucked against him, trying to throw him off. That did nothing but let Sam slip his hands under her and press her against him. She tried clawing him, but her fingernails had been cut making it ineffective. Sam tugged at her pants, and she screamed and started pleading in earnest. "Please, please, please, please, please. Please, Sam. Please, please, please, please, please. Please, don't do this."

Sam ignored her as he continued to undress her.

Tom watched the scene with a triumphant smile. Jason came into the room and gave the entangled pair a dispassionate glance. "If I had known the goal was to kill Liz, I could have saved us all some time and energy and just shot her."

Tom rolled his eyes at Jason but nodded to the other men in the room to break Sam and Liz up. The men wrestled Sam away from Liz, who curled into a ball and started shaking like a leaf as soon as she was free.

"Make no mistake," Tom said, "I fully plan on killing Liz. Just not right now. I still need her."

"I thought pointless torture was beneath you," Jason rebutted.

Tom laughed. "Obviously you haven't been paying very much attention. Pointless torture is my favorite kind of torture. The more pointless the better. And besides, that was more of a test than anything. I needed to make sure that Sam will come through for me before I take Liz off her leash."

"And if I hadn't come in just then?"

Tom rolled his eyes again. "I wasn't going to actually let Sam rape her. I do need her alive. Well, I at least need her alive until I can get the information I need."

"Still haven't given up on the kid thing, huh?"

Tom glared at the other man. "There are few things of which I am as certain as I am that Liz had Sam's child. It's just a matter of having the right motivation to make her tell us. Ginger's pussy-footing didn't work, so it's time to take matters into my own hands." Tom shrugged, breaking the intensity of his speech. "And if it turns out that I'm wrong, there's always plan B. Sam's more than proven that he's ready to do what needs to be done."

Jason sighed. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Like I care either way," Tom replied. "I'll give Liz until after dinner to collect herself because, let's be honest, it's just sad when she's like this. Then I _will_ get what I want, one way or another."


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"Liz." The voice became more insistent the longer it talked. "Liz!"

Liz didn't recognize the face in front of her when she cracked open her eyes. She closed them, and when she reopened them, Tom was in front of her.

"Hey, sis. I thought you might-" She tuned him out and tried to focus on her thoughts. She knew she had dreamed about Sam again but couldn't remember the specifics of the dream. She also knew she had forgotten something-no, someone. She struggled to remember and was inexplicably heartbroken when she couldn't. She chased the feeling and eventually remembered. Dean. It was getting harder and harder to remember what he was to her.

The gun going off got her attention. The body hitting the floor made her jerk. She stared, transfixed, as the blood of the woman she didn't recognize spread across the floor toward her. The woman had been bound and gagged. Her glassy eyes seemed to Liz to be full of accusation.

Now that Liz looked around, she saw that women filled the room. They were obviously drugged or spelled because they showed no panic or concern that one of them had been killed and they might be next.

"I trust I have your attention now," Tom said. "If you'll look around you, you'll see that this room is filled with women and girls. One of them dies every minute until you tell me what I want to hear. You've been injected with a truth serum, so don't think you can lie. Tell me, Liz, where the chosen one is. What have you done with him? You were prophesized to have Sam's son. I know you did. Where is he?"

"You were in the courtroom. You know what I-"

"I know what you said in the courtroom. It was quite a performance. Now I want the truth."

Liz looked panicked. "I don't know what to tell you; I didn't-" Liz screamed as Tom shot another woman between the eyes. She could feel the sobs coming but didn't care.

"I have all night and a town full of women just a few miles away," Tom threatened.

"Okay. Okay, okay, okay."

"Okay, what?"

Liz sounded very small and broken as she answered. "I need to talk to Bobby."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Wrong answer," he said and shot another of the women.

"You're not listening!" Liz yelled. "I have to talk to Bobby before I can tell you what you want to hear."

Tom was intrigued. "Why?"

"He's the only one who can take the spell off of me."

Tom's face lit up. "Of course. A memory inhibiting spell. I forget sometimes how brilliant you can be." He glanced at his watch and shot another woman.

Liz flinched and forced herself not to watch the body hitting the floor. "Do you think you could stop doing that?" she asked. She was barely keeping herself from losing it. "I'm doing what you want."

Tom shrugged. "I don't have an answer yet, though, and I promised you that a girl would die every minute until I do. It would make me seem like a liar if I stopped now."

"Then get me a phone!"

Ginger chose that moment to enter the room. She stopped short as she took in the carnage around her. She covered her mouth, unable to tear her eyes away from the bodies littering the floor. After a moment, she came to herself and looked at Tom." Jason told me that you wanted me to stop by later." She looked across the room to where Jason stood, his face a mask that gave away nothing.

"I did," Tom agreed. "I thought you might benefit from seeing how answers are obtained from someone who doesn't want to give you what you want." He shot again, this time killing a girl who couldn't have been more than sixteen.

"Make him stop, Ginger," Liz sobbed. "Make him stop!"

Ginger glared at Liz. "How do you propose I do that?" she asked furiously. "You're the one he wants information from. You make him stop!"

"I'm trying, but no one will give me a phone."

Ginger jerked her head to Jason. "Give her your stupid phone, Jason. It's not like they can track it."

Jason looked at Tom for his approval. Tom nodded, so Jason tossed the phone to Liz. Liz's hands were shaking as she dialed the number. She prayed that Bobby would answer even though he didn't recognize the number. He did. On the fifth ring, Bobby's grumpy-sounding voice filled the line, "Yeah?"

Liz blew out a relieved breath. "Bobby. Thank God. I need you to do something."

"Liz? Are you okay? Where are you? Any information you can give me will help."

"I'm not hurt, but I don't have time to talk. I need you to take the spell off of me. Tom is killing a lot of innocent people. I need you to take the spell off of me so I can end this."

For a moment the line was silent. "You said you would rather die than have me remove it. I'm gonna need more than that, Liz."

"It's not my life on the line," Liz countered.

"Sam?" Bobby guessed.

"Sam's...well, not fine, but alive and in one piece."

"Liz..." He trailed off at the sound of a gunshot in the background. "Liz! Are you okay? Liz!"

Tom took the phone away from Liz. "Mr. Singer, the longer you stall, the more people who are going to die. I'm giving you back to Liz now with the warning that you have 45 seconds before your inaction kills someone else."

Liz took the phone. "Bobby?" She was trying to swallow back her tears.

"Liz, are you okay?"

"I'm far from okay. I need you to take the spell off of me now. Tom's not joking about killing more people."

"No."

"Bobby, I mean it."

"I do, too. A lot more people might die if I do what you're asking."

"Might, Bobby. They _might._ These people definitely will. Take it off me now!"

Bobby sighed unhappily. "I hope you know what you're doing, Liz," he said, giving in. He took another deep breath. "Elizabeth Rosemary Barrister Winchester, I release you from the bonds that hold you. From this moment onward, you may do as you wish, untethered by the limitations you have placed upon yourself. It is your wish and it is my wish that you be free and that your will be your own."

Tears rolled down Liz's cheeks. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "I'm sorry I can't be stronger, Bobby," she whispered hoarsely. "I know I just made everything harder."

She was grateful that Bobby's voice was understanding as he answered, "The truth had to come out some time, Liz. You'll do what needs to be done; I know you will. You'll do what you need to keep everyone as safe as they can be."

"Thanks, Bobby. Would you tell Dean that I love him and I'm-"

Tom jerked the phone out of her hand. "This is not social hour. Lest you forget: I hate your sorry excuse for a husband. I wish to actively cause him pain, not lessen it. Now, you have ten seconds to tell me the truth or all these ladies are going to die. And trust me, they can easily be replaced by a fresh batch."

Liz was tired of being threatened. "You want the truth, Tom? Well, the truth is that I can't tell you where my and Sam's son is because I had his daughter. His _daughter_. And I can't tell you where she is because I don't know."

The silence in the room was deafening. "You had his what?" Tom was livid. Fury filled his eyes. "His daughter? His daughter! You had his daughter!" He turned and shot the remaining women in the room.

Liz slid to the floor in a boneless heap. "Why did you do that? I told you the truth. It's what you asked. You said you'd stop if I did as you asked."

Tom jerked her to her feet. "I lied. I'm evil; it's what I do. What am I supposed to do with a little bitch, Liz? You're completely useless. It's a joke that you were even born. You had one purpose, just one, and you screwed it up. Completely useless." He shoved her to the ground and turned to Jason. "I guess if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Get Sam ready. We'll begin tonight after the ceremony." He spun around to Ginger. "And you. Get Liz to the ceremony room. By the time I join you, you better have Dean on the phone."

Tom stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Liz looked around her at the bodies of the women and girls she had been unable to save. "Get me out of here," she pleaded. "Please, get me out of here."

Ginger nodded and moved to unchain her. Jason stopped her. "We have a more pressing issue. How are we going to get a hold of Dean? I doubt Liz is going to just offer up that information."

Ginger glanced away guiltily. "I know how to contact Dean," she admitted.

Jason looked confused. "How and, more importantly, why do you know this?"

Instead of answering, Ginger started once again to unlock Liz, and once again, Jason stopped her. "Answer me, Ginger."

Ginger sighed. "It's a long story."

"She's been switching our memories," Liz supplied.

Ginger glared at Liz. "Apparently not _that_ long of a story."

Liz shrugged. "I thought I would speed up this part of the drama."

Ginger started to reply, but Jason spun her to face him. "What the hell, Ginger?"

Ginger tried to break his grip, but he held on. "We don't have time for this, Jay."

"We're going to discuss it now, damn it!"

"We can do it later. Now is _not_ a good time!"

"We'll make now a good time."

Ginger huffed a sigh and shoved Jason until he let her go. "Says the man who has the once and future rapist to prep."

Jason glared. "You know that's not fair."

Ginger's anger deflated. "You're right; it's not. It still sucks for Liz."

"It sucks for both of them."

Liz cleared her throat. "Uh, guys? In case you forgot this, I'm still chained to the floor. Blood is starting to soak into my clothes from the roomful of people who just died horribly because they had the misfortune of meeting my brother when he wanted information from me and needed some insurance. If it's not too much trouble, could you get me the hell out of here? You can remind one another how much my life sucks while we're on the way to whatever fresh hell my brother has concocted for me."

Ginger and Jason stood gaping for a few moments before Ginger started unchaining her. "You're right. I still have to get you cleaned up and to the ceremony room. Then I have to get Dean on the phone and somehow convince him not to hang up on me."

Jason helped Liz stand after she had been unchained. "I'll take care of Dean. You tell me how to reach him, and I'll assure that he'll be on the line when we need him."

Ginger was obviously skeptical. "I think he would be less likely to hang up on me. He doesn't hate me."

Jason smiled broadly. "That's precisely why he won't hang up on me. I can piss him off enough that he won't be able to resist the urge to stay on the line and yell obscenities. All I have to do then is explain."

"Why do you need Dean?" Liz wanted to know. She still remembered Dean enought that the thought of him playing into their hands ran chills down her spine.

Jason and Ginger exchanged a look. "Well, we need Dean's help to remove the adultery curse so that Sam can impregnate you without you dying," Jason explained. Ginger elbowed him and gave him a scolding look. He shrugged. "What? She wanted to know."

Liz shook her head in disbelief. "We looked for the past five years for a cure. There's no way to remove the curse."

Jason shook his head. "You're wrong. There's just no record of it in anything you would have looked at. In fact, there's only one record of the removal spell anywhere, and your brother has it. It's passed down from leader to leader. As far as I know, it's never been used. Tom insists it will work, and for your sake, I hope he's right."

"So I can be impregnated by my brother-in-law," Liz reminded him.

"At least you will be alive."

Liz became visibly upset. "I think I'd rather die. There's a catch. There always is. Nothing in our godforsaken cult is done without some kind of a price attached to it. I'd rather die than have something happen to Dean."

Jason looked sad as he answered, "Like so many things in your life, Liz, this is not your decision. It's Dean's. And he's going to pay the price. I think he's predictable enough that we all know that."

Ginger tugged against Liz's manacles. "Stop talking and start walking. You have to shower and get changed. Time's a-wasting. Let's go." She turned to Jason. "You, too. Sam's not going to become halfway crazy all by his lonesome. I'll see you at the ceremony room." She took his phone and saved Dean's number. "And get him on the phone while you're at it."

XXX

"Elizabeth, so lovely to see you."

Liz turned toward the voice. "Maggie?"

The woman in question smiled. She looked like she had aged much more than five years. "Of course. Who else but me would be able to remove a spell of the magnitude of the one you have on you? Now, if you would, please step to the altar and lie face down. Before you do, remove your blouse. You can leave your bra on. I need uninterrupted access to your marks, but you should be able to pull one strap down and it work just fine."

Liz didn't fight Maggie. She didn't see the point in it. She removed her shirt and climbed on the altar, following Maggie's instructions completely. A couple of Tom's goons gagged her before binding her hands underneath the table. She didn't fight them either. Maggie watched this all dispassionately before stepping up to Liz. She placed her hands on Liz and immediately took a step away from her. She looked perplexed for a moment but recovered her calm quite nicely and started the ritual. She nodded at Jason when it was time for Dean to say his piece.

For his part, Jason had taken the time to check and see if Sam had come in with a phone. He had. It didn't have the number Ginger had given him on it, but he was fairly certain that Dean would recognize Sam's number.

He was proved correct when Dean answered the phone. "Sam? Oh, thank God. I thought you-"

"Not Sam," Jason interrupted.

Dean sucked in a breath. "Jason," he spat out. "Why do you have Sam's phone?"

Jason couldn't help the condescension in his tone. "Because I have Sam, you idiot."

"Where's Liz?"

"She's here, too."

"With Sam?" Despite himself, Jason felt for Dean and the emotion he couldn't quite keep out of his voice.

"Something like that," he answered cryptically. "Listen, I didn't call to chat about Sam. I called about Liz."

"What about her? If you've hurt one hair on her head, I'll-"

"Threaten me ineffectually from far away? Easy, killer. I think we both know that she's had more than her hair hurt in the last two weeks. Now shut up and listen to me."

"Go fu-"

"We can take off the adultery curse," Jason interrupted, tired of the back and forth that wasn't getting them anywhere.

Dean snorted in disbelief. "You're lying."

"But what if I'm not?"

The line was silent for several moments. Jason waited, giving Dean some time to process what he was saying. Dean finally sucked in a breath and said, "I'm listening."

"What would you do to save her? Would you die for her?"

Dean didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Jason's answering smile was a little bittersweet. "Good. Then listen up and do exactly as I say. If you can manage that, Liz might just die an old woman."


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The pain was excruciatingly, blindingly intense. Dean had felt plenty of pain in his life as a hunter, but this was worse than anything he could have imagined. It was a pain both physical and emotional and was so debilitating that when it was over, he knew that, had he been conscious, he would have wept. Even unconscious, he wanted to cry with relief.

He became aware of the girl a moment after the pain abated. He knew instinctively that it was Liz. She must have been around ten years old and had her dark hair braided in two braids. She was standing in a field of clover and smiling at him. He realized belatedly that she had a chain of the clover flowers in her hair. It was a detail that struck something inside of him. While he watched her, she threw her head back and laughed. It was a delightful sound that caused Dean's chest to swell with joy. The laughter stopped, and suddenly little Liz looked very worried.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?"

She looked away guiltily. "For what's about to happen."

Dean felt the pain coming back. He fought it to no avail. There was one more spasm of joy so intense that it was almost painful, then the pain was crashing in with such overwhelming force that he screamed. Then he felt no more.

XXX

The children watched as Dean collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony. He lay on the ground, writhing in pain. Then the screams subsided, and Dean went still.

"Is he dead?" Sofie asked, her voice shaky with fear. She picked up Jaden and tried to calm her terrified crying.

Mitchell edged toward Dean and kneeled beside him. He waved his hand in front of his mouth then tried to find a pulse. He shook him in an attempt to wake him, but Dean was nonresponsive. "I don't know. I can't tell if he's breathing."

Sweat broke out on Isabelle's forehead. "He's not dead. He hurts too much to be dead. It hurts me." She shuddered in obvious discomfort.

Sofie shot an alarmed glance at Mitchell. "I think I should take the little ones to our room. You can call Mr. Bobby. He'll know what to do. I know Dean has his number on his phone. I've seen him call."

Mitchell nodded his agreement, and Sofie rounded up their siblings and herded them toward the house in which they'd been staying. When they were out of earshot, Mitchell grabbed up Dean's phone, found Bobby's number, and called it.

Bobby was not happy to be hearing from Dean. "Damn it, Dean! I thought I told you to stop calling me! You are staying there whether you like it or not!" The silence that greeted him had him confused. "Dean?"

Mitchell took a deep breath. "Mr. Bobby, I think Dean's dead."

"Mitchell?"

"Yes, it's me, Mr. Bobby. We need help. Mr. Dean was talking on the phone then he screamed and fell down. I can't tell if he's breathing, but Bells said that he's alive 'cause she can feel his pain."

Bobby sucked in a breath. "Do you know who Dean was talking to?"

"No."

"Do you know what he was talking to them about?"

"Um, maybe something about Aunt Lindsey, er, I mean Aunt Liz."

"It might take me a little bit to get someone to you. Do you think that you and Sofie can manage things until someone can get to you?"

Mitchell scoffed. "Mom lets us babysit all the time. We're not babies!"

Bobby smiled. "Duly noted. I'll send someone your way as soon as possible. They should be there by nightfall at the latest. Is that okay?"

"Yes. What do you want me to do with Dean?"

"I don't know what you can do. It's hot. Try to keep him cool if you can. That's all I know to do."

"Okay, Mr. Bobby. I'll do what I can."

XXX

Alex made the 296-mile journey to the compound in barely over three and a half hours. Cassie and Katy, who for the last two weeks had been nothing but a source of complaints about his driving, didn't comment when he nearly hit the tractor that pulled out in front of them in Mississippi or the car that slammed on its brakes in Arkansas or any of the other near misses that driving so fast can bring with it. All of them stayed silent and tense with worry.

They had some trouble finding the actual compound. Alex would have driven around until he stumbled upon it, but Cassie insisted that they stop at a convenience store and ask.

Of course, getting to the compound was only the first step. They all knew that getting inside was going to be the real problem. Bobby had given them detailed instructions, but they knew if they made one misstep, they could all die. The place had been fortified beyond what any of them had ever seen.

The community gates looked banal as they pulled up in front of them. In fact, nothing about the place seemed sinister. They knew better.

After a few moments idling, they all got out of the car and stood around starting at the gates. Alex took a deep breath and let it out. "Let's talk about this a second. Are we sure we want to get ourselves stuck in that place? Bobby made no bones about the fact we won't be able to leave until he lets us out."

Katy rolled her eyes and started walking toward the gate with a determined stride. "Do what you want," she called over her shoulder. "I'm going to save Dean."

"Katy, stop!" Alex called after her. There was panic in his voice.

Katy wheeled around. "No! I am going in there, and you can't stop me!"

Alex smiled grimly. "You are three steps away from a charm that will cause you to spontaneously combust."

Katy went a little white. "Oh. Well, thanks," she said sheepishly.

Alex shrugged. "No problem." He looked to Cassie. "Well? What do you think? I'm going in. What about you?"

Cassie sighed. "Like I'd let the two of you out of my sight. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into."

Alex grinned. "Then we're agreed. Knights-in-shining-armor it is."

"That's us," Katy agreed ironically. They reached the gate, and Alex said a silent prayer that he wouldn't screw anything up. Ten minutes later, they were inside the gates searching for the children. They weren't hard to find; they just followed the sounds of crying.

When they reached the kids, the youngest was crying inconsolably. The oldest was trying his best to calm her, but his patience had run out at some point long before. The relief the children felt to see adults was palpable.

"You're here!" one of the little ones said and flung herself at them. Katy caught her a little awkwardly. She turned a pleading look on Alex and Cassie. Alex scooped the girl out of Katy's arms and patted her back until she relaxed against him. "Where's Dean?" he asked the children.

The oldest stood up. "He fell outside. We couldn't move him because he was too heavy. Mr. Bobby told us to keep him cool, so we made a fort around him to keep the sun off of him. We've been putting a wet washcloth on his forehead every once in a while. That's what Mom does when one of us has a fever."

Alex smiled at the kids. "That was very thoughtful of you. Can you take us to him?"

The children led them to their makeshift fort. The sheets had done a good job of keeping the worst of the sun off of Dean. He lay beneath them, completely still.

Alex understood the children's fear that Dean was dead. He checked Dean's breathing to be sure.

"He mumbled something once," Jaden supplied helpfully.

"That's good to know," Cassie said and patted the girl's head. She turned away dismissively and looked to Alex. "What are we going to do? This place is not equipped to support someone in a coma. He needs fluids. He won't be able to last too much longer without them."

"This place was designed to be a battle station. Bobby and Liz have been stocking up for years. There have to be some IVs somewhere around here."

Katy and Cassie agreed. They decided that Alex should be in charge of the children while they searched the grounds for medical supplies. Thirty minutes later, Cassie stumbled upon the med station, which was thankfully fully stocked with everything they needed. They wrangled Dean into the room on a rigged up stretcher then did the only thing they could: they waited on Dean to wake up.

XXX

The pain stopped. Dean didn't know why, and he didn't care. All that mattered was that it had stopped. He floated weightlessly in the empty darkness that remained after the pain subsided. He didn't know how long he drifted before the chair appeared. When he saw it, he moved toward it without really meaning to. He sat in it, and the world stopped being weightless. A slow, haunting song began floating out of the ether. Dean listened, entranced, as the notes surrounded him. A spotlight switched on and revealed Liz in a ballet outfit.

It never occurred to Dean to go to her. He merely watched as she began to sing and dance en pointe.

_"Well, I heard there was a secret chord  
That David played and it pleased the Lord  
But you don't really care for music, do you?  
Well, it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth  
The minor fall and the major lift  
The baffled king composing hallelujah_

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelu-u-u-jah_"

The spotlight widened to reveal Jason. Jason picked up the next verse, singing to Dean and aiding Liz in her dancing when she need a lift or to be spun.

_"Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof  
You saw her bathing on the roof  
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you  
She tied you to her kitchen chair  
She broke your throne and she cut your hair  
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah_

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelu-u-u-jah"_

The light went out and appeared some distance away. Dean recognized himself sitting at a piano with Liz. The Dean at the piano sang to Liz, who looked into the distance as if she did not hear him. After a few lines, he turned Liz's head so she was looking at him as he sang to her.

_"Well, there was a time when you let me know  
What's really going on below  
But now you never show that to me, do you?  
But remember when I moved in you?  
And the holy dove was moving, too?  
And every breath we drew was hallelujah?_

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelu-u-u-jah"_

Dean's doppelganger turned to look at him. Suddenly, Dean was transported so that he was at the piano singing to Liz. He knew right away that she was not really Liz. He'd been around the Fates enough in the last five years to recognize one when he saw them.

"What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't help me."

She shrugged. "I am not supposed to, but my sisters do not know that I am here. They would be upset."

"Ah. Well, three guesses who you are, and I say middle sister it is. What do you want?"

"To help you remember something very important." She squinted at him. "You do not remember, do you?"

"Remember what? I didn't bring my secret decoder ring with me to Crazyland, so you're going to have to at least give me a hint."

Liz's look-alike glanced around her. "I guess this _is _kind of cryptic. There are rules, though. Rules by which I must play even while breaking all the others. Trust me, it would be much easier to just tell you what I want you to know than use some elaborate hallucination to make you remember it."

"Was there a hint in there somewhere? I gotta say I didn't hear it."

"The song was the hint."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Then I'm gonna need a better hint."

The Fate grabbed Dean's chin and forced him to look at her. "I should not have bogged it down with unnecessary details. Focus on this part; it is what is important," she explained and started singing again: "Remember when I moved in you, and the holy dove was moving, too? And every breath we drew was hallelujah?" She watched him, waiting for the moment when understanding lit his face. He stared at her blankly.

"You do understand what that means, right?"

The blank look remained. "All I heard was something about doves."

Frustration tightened the Fate's borrowed face. "I cannot tell you more than I already have. You have to figure it out for yourself. I have already interferred too much as it is. I have already told you everything you need to know to save Liz." She bit her bottom lip. "I know you can figure it out." She put a hand on his chest. "Remember when you moved _in _me." She switched her hand to her chest.

Her expectant look turned to annoyance when Dean continued to watch her blankly. "I have overstepped my boundaries as it is. I cannot tell you more than that. It is up to you to figure it out." She huffed out a breath. "Maybe Bobby can help."

Dean scowled at her. "And maybe in the future you can say something that makes some freaking sense," he retorted.

"It is your head. I just use it the best I can," the Fate said with a smile. She brushed a thumb across his lips. "There are many things I admire about you, Dean Winchester, not the least of which is your determination to help those whom you love." She looked up into his perplexed eyes. "I have broken a lot of rules for you, Dean. You could say that I have very little left to lose."

Dean watched her, trying to assess the situation. Her thumb was still skimming across his lips.

She sighed deeply. "I suppose rules were made to be broken. You need to remember the first time-" She gasped and grabbed her throat as some unseen force assaulted her. Her hands were shaking as she tore them away from her throat and pressed them against Dean's temples.

He immediately came awake. He was on some kind of a bed that was really not that comfortable. He shifted into a sitting position, giving himself a few minutes to get over the dizziness that the position change caused.

"Son of a bitch!" he muttered. "My head hurts! Mother fu-" he noticed Isabelle watching him and bit back the curse. He blinked at her a few seconds to make sure she was real. "Uh, Isabelle, what are you doing here?"

Isabelle glanced at the door. "I snuck in to check on you. We're not supposed to be in here. Mr. Alex and Ms. Cassie said we should let you rest. I just had to check on you, though."

Dean nodded. "Okay. Where are Alex and Cassie?"

Isabelle ignored the question. "Aunt Liz gave me something to give to you if you were in trouble, but I'm not sure what she meant."

"Oh yeah?" he told her, half-listening. He tried to stand, but his legs didn't support him, and he tumbled to the floor bringing the IV stand with him.

The commotion brought Alex, Cassie, and Katy in from the other room. Cassie and Katy helped Dean back onto the hospital bed while Alex shook his head at Isabelle. "Didn't we tell you to leave Dean alone and let him rest?" he demanded sharply.

Isabelle shrugged. "But I didn't do anything," she insisted. "He woke up on his own then fell down. I promise I didn't do anything."

Alex turned to Katy. "Would you please take Isabelle to Sofie?"

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her lip out. "I'm not leaving! You can't make me!"

"We can so!" Katy rebutted, scooping her up.

Dean put a hand to his head. "Stop yelling. Isabelle doesn't bother me. She can stay if she wants. I just want everyone to stop yelling."

Katy considered Dean for a moment then put Isabelle down. "Fine. Half-pint stays. Are you okay?"

Dean shrugged. "I guess we'll see. I do have a question, though. If you were to say that you moved in someone, what would you be talking about?"

Cassie looked at Dean like he had lost his mind. "Are you serious?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah. It's important, so just answer."

The other adults were obviously confused and a bit worried by the bizarre question. Alex shrugged at Cassie and Katy before settling his gaze back on Dean. He reached down and covered Isabelle's ears. "It sounds like you're talking about sex, Dean."

"Sex? Oh. Well, that makes sense." He began laughing hysterically. He eventually calmed himself enough to speak. "I know where Liz is," he admitted. "I've known all along."

"What?" Katy wondered. "Is it just me on the slow train here, or does that need some explanation?"

Dean laughed some more. "Five years ago, one of the Fates told me exactly where I could find Liz when she was captured. Now I need to get out of this place so I can do just that. Surely Bobby gave you the key out of here."

Alex shook his head. "Sorry, dude. We're as stuck as you."

"I'm sure we could call Bobby and he would-" Cassie began only to be interrupted by Dean.

"-laugh at us," he finished bitterly. "I need to get out of here, and Bobby's not going to help. He thinks that he's on top of the Liz situation."

Isabelle wiggled her way out of Alex's grasp and darted to Dean. "Do you really know where Aunt Liz is?" she asked, the very picture of seriousness.

Dean nodded. "Yep."

Isabelle turned contemplative. Finally, she sighed dramatically and placed her hand over Dean's. "I know how to get out of here," she admitted.

All eyes swung to Isabelle. "How do _you_ know?" Katy asked skeptically.

"Aunt Liz told me before she left."

"Why would she have entrusted something that important to a little kid?"

"Hey! I'm almost five! I'm not a little kid!"

"Well, excuse me," Katy rebutted sarcastically. "Now that you put it that way, I think I'll put everyone's lives in your hands like Liz did."

"Enough," Alex told Katy.

"You mean you could have gotten us out of here any time you wanted to?" Dean asked.

Isabelle's eyes widened, and she glanced around uncertainly. "Aunt Liz said I should only tell you if it was an emergency and absolutely necessary."

"Liz has been taken by some very bad people. You didn't think me saving her qualified as an emergency?"

Isabelle shook her head. "Aunt Liz said I should only let you know about the way out if we were under attack and you looked worried. I promised her that would be the only way I would tell you, but if you really know where she is, well, I'd rather she'd be mad at me than have anyone hurt her."

Weariness seeped out of Dean. "I'm beyond caring. Isabelle, tell us how to get out of here, and we'll be on our way."

Isabelle looked alarmed. "Us? No. Not us. You. You are the only one going."

Cassie sputtered. "I am not staying here to watch a bunch of kids. No way. Not while Liz needs saving."

"Then no one is leaving," Isabelle responded defiantly.

"I think she's serious, and I think we should listen to her," Dean said.

"Easy for you to say!" Cassie rebutted almost hysterically. "You get to walk out of this place."

Alex placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's for Liz, Cass. It might save her life."

Cassie threw her hands in the air. "Fine! Just remember that I am not happy about this."

"I know you're not," Alex replied. He looked to Katy. "And you? You cool with staying?"

Katy shrugged. "Why not? I guess I owe the bitch that much."

The matter settled, Alex, Katy, and Cassie left Isabelle alone with Dean. When she was sure they were gone, Isabelle pulled a delicate necklace off her neck and handed it to Dean. "First things first, put this on."

"And then?"

"And then you walk out the front gate."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. When you come back, you had better have Aunt Liz or I'll be very mad at you."

Dean grinned. "Deal."


End file.
